A district court judge on Friday denied a prosecutor's request to increase the bond amount for the mother of 4-year-old Teghan Skiba.
A Johnston County assistant district attorney asked Judge Resson Faircloth to increase Helen Reyes' bond to $250,000, claiming the 27-year-old who's charged with felony negligent child abuse is a flight risk.
The prosecutor said Reyes, who was released on $50,000 bond Thursday night, is still employed by the Army Reserves and travels across the country monthly to attend training. Also, Reyes has family members in Florida, the prosecutor said.
Faircloth denied the request, noting that Reyes appeared in person at the hearing, though he ruled that she'll be required to remain in North Carolina until the case is resolved.
Prosecutors also released new evidence in court Friday. They said Reyes' family care plan on file with the Army Reserves names her mother, Maria, as the sole caretaker for Teghan when the girl's mother is away for training.
The arrest warrant for Reyes states that she knew that her boyfriend, Jonathan Richardson – who's charged with first-degree murder in Teghan's death – had abused the girl before Reyes left for military training in New Mexico on July 6.
Prosecutors said in court Friday that Reyes watched as Teghan chugged a Corona and two Natural Light beers, and that she knew Richardson beat the girl while Reyes made a trip to a convenience store.
Judge Faircloth set Reyes' next court appearance for Aug. 12. She told the judge that she would be hiring a lawyer but did not name the attorney.
