MADISON COUNTY, Idaho (AP) — A judge reduced bail to $1 million for the mother of two missing children after her lawyer contended at her first hearing in Idaho that the amount had been set too high because of media attention.
Wearing faded orange-and-white striped jail garb and bright pink lipstick, Lori Vallow Daybell spoke little but nodded emphatically whenever her attorneys mentioned her desire to vigorously defend herself against the child abandonment charges brought against her.
Daybell is also being charged with misdemeanor resisting and obstructing an officer, solicitation of a crime, and contempt of court. The charges stem from the disappearance of her kids, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, who have been missing since September.
A prosecutor said Daybell had already defied one court order when she refused to take her children to Idaho authorities in February.
The judge agreed that the bond should be reduced but also said he wanted Daybell closely monitored. He stipulated that if she does post bond, she must wear an ankle monitor and stay within a handful of nearby counties, East Idaho News reports.
A preliminary hearing for Daybell has been scheduled for March 18 and 19.