A Cobb County mother accused of starving her teenage daughter to death was granted bond Tuesday, more than three months after her arrest.
Ebony Espree Berry, 35, was arrested June 15, hours after 16-year-old Markea Berry was found dead in the family's Mableton home. The teenager weighed 43 pounds, and Cobb County investigators believe she suffered from extreme malnourishment and that her mother declined to get her help.
Ebony Berry was charged with felony murder and cruelty to children, Cobb County jail records show. But her case was never presented to a grand jury, and under state law, a suspect must be granted bond if not indicted within 90 days of the arrest.
Tuesday was Berry's 102nd day in jail, according to booking records. In a courtroom Tuesday, Berry's attorney asked a judge to grant the woman a bond in the amount of $50,000 and allow her to see her three surviving children, ages 15, 8 and 8 months, Channel 2 Action News reported.
Instead, Judge Frank Cox set Berry’s bond at $75,000 and ordered her to have no contact with her children. She remained in jail Tuesday night.
About the Author
