COVINGTON, Ga. - The mother of a two-week-old infant girl who died from blunt force head trauma last year made her first appearance before a judge in Newton County Monday.
Bell was held with no bond as a result of her first appearance.
Cortney Bell was arrested Saturday and charged with second-degree murder, second-degree cruelty to children and contributing to the deprivation of a minor, according to the Newton County sheriff's department. All three of the counts are felony charges.
This was after the girl's father, Christopher McNabb was indicted by a Newton County grand jury on Friday.
McNabb and Bell were the parents of 2-week-old Caliyah McNabb, whose body was found last October near a Covington mobile home park.
PHOTOS: 2-week-old baby found dead after being missing
Bell was arrested Saturday afternoon in Rockdale County.
Until Friday, McNabb had been the only person charged in the girl's death.
PHOTOS: Chris McNabb
Police said McNabb struck the infant with an unknown object, which caused her skull "to be seriously disfigured and damaged beyond repair," according to McNabb's arrest warrant.
The warrant also said McNabb wrapped his daughter's body in a t-shirt and blanket before putting her in a drawstring bag and hiding her in the woods.
Little Cailyah was born premature on Sept. 23, weighing only five pounds.
McNabb and Bell initially reported her missing from their home at the Eagle Point Trailer Park in Covington. The couple parents told police she was fine when they fed and changed her at 5 am. But five hours later, they said, she was gone.
After her daughter was located, Bell was escorted to police headquarters, where she gave a statement.
