The case involving Persia Nelson, the mother accused of murder in the death of her 10-month-old daughter Halo Branton last weekend, will now be moved to Schenectady County Court.
Nelson made a brief appearance in Schenectady City Court Friday afternoon. Judge Carl Falotico said that Nelson’s case will be going from City Court to County Court. A date for her next appearance has not yet been set.
She remains in custody.
About a dozen members of baby Halo’s family, friends and supporters appeared in court Friday, many wore shirts with a photograph of the little girl on them. Members of the group declined to comment after court.
Nelson’s appearance came after she was arraigned Monday on two separate charges in the death of her 10-month-old infant — murder, and manslaughter.
If convicted of the murder charge, Nelson would face up to 25 years to life in prison.
Authorities and locals searched for Halo for hours last weekend before she was found — an Amber Alert was issued Sunday morning, but she was soon pronounced dead at Ellis Hospital.
Halo was found by searchers midday Sunday in a utility tunnel pipe, essentially an eight-foot deep hole in the ground, authorities said, on the General Electric campus.
In a press conference Monday, the Schenectady Police Department and the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office said Halo had died of exposure and hypothermia. According to authorities, she did not drown. They said the area Halo had been in had water in it which had gone up to her chest and around her head, but had not covered her face.
Nelson had been found in a heated building on the GE campus by security Saturday night. Authorities said, when she was questioned by security, she said she was looking for her baby.
Nelson was represented by Schenectady Public Defender Stephen Signore. He told the judge earlier last week it is his understanding that Nelson does not have a criminal history.
Police received a call Saturday night around 11 p.m. from GE security, Schenectady Police Chief Clifford said earlier this week. Security reported finding a female trespasser — identified as Nelson — who reported she didn’t know how she got there and claimed to have lost her child, Clifford said.
Police responded, interviewed Nelson and began looking for the child, Clifford said.
Authorities declined to comment on whether Nelson had been incapacitated or under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.
On Monday, prosecutor Michael Nobles asked Falotico to order Nelson held without bail, saying she was a flight risk because she had no connections to the area.
Nobles told the judge then that Nelson had only been in the Schenectady area since November, and before that had temporarily stayed in a shelter in Albany County.
Nelson is originally from Columbia County, and has another child in that county, Nobles said.
Nelson has only limited contact with her other child, who she does not have custody of, Nobles said.
Members of Halo’s family held a balloon vigil earlier last week in her memory in Hudson. The little girl would have turned 11-months-old this week.