Dontrell Melvin's mother Brittney Sierra sat calmly in court on Tuesday until the missing boy's father Calvin Melvin came in. Then she started to cry.
This hearing was about the 5-month-old baby they have together and a four-year-old she had with another man. Both parents entered denials regarding allegations in the petition for dependency.
The petition by the Department of Children and Families is to make Sierra's and Melvin's children dependents of the state on grounds that they are at imminent risk of harm, abuse and or neglect.
According to court documents, both Sierra and Melvin stated to a DCF investigator that the missing boy was with his paternal grandmother, which was not true. When the investigator returned to the parents' house, Melvin had fled. Two days later skeletal remains of a child were found in the backyard of their previous home. Their conduct toward Dontrell puts their other children at risk, DCF states.
Judge Kenneth Gillespie asked the child advocate how the children are doing. She answered that they are doing well and are placed together but added "the older one has been having issues fighting other children at daycare."
Sierra never stopped crying. Melvin showed no emotion in court.
It was disclosed in the hearing that Melvin has a no contact order regarding the kids but Sierra is allowed supervised visitation. The state is asking for no contact for her as well.
After the hearing, while they were being led back to their cells, they were asked what happened to Dontrell.
Melvin did not say a word. Sierra said: "No I don't know, and I am waiting for answers."
In a related but separate case, the judge decided to keep intact a no contact order for the three minor children of Sierra's mother. Those children were put into state custody after the remains of an infant were found in the backyard of a previous home where they all lived together.