Mother of missing child back in court

Brittney Sierra laughs during court proceedings

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. ā€“ The mother of a missing Hallandale Beach baby was back in court Monday, trying to get the charges of child neglect dropped.

Brittney Sierra was arrested back in January, after it was discovered her son, Dontrell Melvin had been missing since 2011.

At one point during Monday's hearing, however, she seemed to mouth the words "I'm famous," then smiled and laughed at her mother who was sitting nearby.

Her defense lawyer, Don Williams, asked that the two charges of child neglect be dismissed if the prosecution did not tweak a few words in the description of the charge. He says it's minor, but the wording could potentially be confusing to a jury.

Police found what they believe to be Dontrell's body in the back of a home where Sierra used to live with the boy's father, Calvin Melvin.
So far, Melvin has been charged with lying to police.

Sierra's attorney isn't saying much about the case.

"I have not received any of the discovery yet, so I don't know what the police investigation has revealed," Williams said. "They've charged her with two counts of child neglect, but those two counts read identical so I'm trying to figure out how you make one continuing course of conduct into two counts."

In the meantime, Sierra's mother is standing by her daughter."

"I love my daughter no matter what," she said. "And I'm going to be here for her no matter what the results are, but I believe in her."