Woman charged in missing baby case arraigned on new charges

Brittney Sierra arraigned on 3rd degree child neglect charges

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A woman whose son was found buried in the back yard of a Hallandale Beach home she rented with the boy's father was arraigned on new charges Thursday.

Brittney Sierra, who gave birth to her fourth child last week, was arraigned on third-degree child neglect charges. Sierra's mother, Renee Menendez, said her daughter spent a few minutes with her newborn son before the Department of Children and Families took him into custody.

"He looks beautiful from the picture that I've seen of him," said Menendez. "The picture that I have, you can see how hard she was crying. It's all in her face, her eyes are swollen, everything. Even her criminal attorney was very upset when he found out that she wasn't able to spend any time with the baby."

The body of Sierra's son, Dontrell Melvin, was found Jan. 11. The infant was last seen alive 18 months before. The Broward Medical Examiner ruled he likely died when he was 6 months old.

A Broward Sheriff's Office deputy discovered the boy was missing while investigating an unrelated child neglect case on Jan. 9.

The boy's father, Calvin Melvin Jr., is charged with three counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer and two counts of child neglect.

Another hearing for Sierra is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2014.