Hallandale Beach Mother Brittney Sierra Back in Custody of Broward Sheriff's Office

Sierra was released from jail Monday night

A pregnant Brittney Sierra made a return trip from Broward Health Medical Center to the Broward County Main Jail Tuesday night, after a judge placed the defendant back in the custody of the Broward Sheriff’s Office earlier Tuesday.

Sierra, 22, whose baby’s remains were found buried in a shallow pit behind her Hallandale Beach home, was released on her own recognizance Monday night after her charges were reduced from second-degree child neglect/bodily harm to third-degree charges.

But the caretaker initially approved by the court said she did not want Sierra in her home after she learned that she was pregnant. The BSO said she was placed in a different home, but the judge, who only approved of Sierra living with Yolande Georges, called for a court hearing and then returned Sierra to the BSO's custody until that hearing can be held and living arrangements can be made for her and her unborn child.

“She’s supposed to live with her mother, for her mother to take care of her. Because I’m not family, I’m not the best friend," Georges said Tuesday.

Sierra was outfitted with an ankle bracelet before her release Monday. Her pretrial release agreement stipulated that she needed the court's permission to leave Georges' apartment, except to go to the hospital.

Sierra was seen leaving the main jail in a BSO cruiser late Tuesday afternoon. Sierra, who was taken to and from the hospital by the BSO, is due to give birth on Friday.

The Department of Children and Families said it could not comment on the case Tuesday.

Dontrell Melvin was about 6 months old when he was last seen alive in July 2011, according to a report from the Broward County medical examiner.

The baby's body was discovered in a shallow grave in the backyard of 106 Northwest 1st Avenue on Jan. 11, 2013, about 18 months after he was last seen.

His parents, Sierra and Calvin Melvin, 27, both face charges in the case. Melvin faces two charges of child neglect and three charges of providing false information to police during the investigation of Dontrell’s disappearance and remains in custody in the Broward jail.

Authorities said Melvin and Sierra blamed each other in the boy’s disappearance and each provided officers an area to search.

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