COVINGTON, Ga. - Christopher Michael McNabb and Cortney Marie Bell, the parents accused of murder in the death of 15-day-old Caliyah C. McNabb, were scheduled to be in court Tuesday for a motion/status hearing, but Alcovy Judicial Circuit Chief Judge John M. Ott told The Covington News a continuance had been granted in the case.

McNabb is charged with eight counts including malice murder, two counts felony murder, murder in the second-degree and aggravated battery, cruelty to children in the first-degree, cruelty to children in the second-degree and concealing death of another.

Bell is charged with murder in the second degree, cruelty to children and contributing to the deprivation of a minor.

McNabb is represented by Anthony Carter, chief public defender for the Alcovy Judicial Circuit. Bell is represented by Bryan Frost, who was appointed as a conflict attorney. 

On Oct. 7, 2017, Bell called 911 to report her daughter was missing from her bedroom. The following day, the body of Caliyah C. McNabb was located in a wooded area next to the trailer park where the family lived.

McNabb was arrested a few hours after the discovery of the body on a probation violation out of Bartow County. Warrants were issued for McNabb on the murder charges three days later after autopsy results determined the cause of death to be blunt force head trauma and manner of death to be homicide.

Bell was indicted by the Grand Jury of Newton County in January and apprehended Jan. 7 in Rockdale County on charges related to the death.

The duo was arraigned on the charges Jan. 23 in front of Ott. District Attorney Layla Zon is prosecuting the case with Assistant District Attorney Alex Stone.

---

The News submitted a request to the district attorney’s office, the defense attorneys and Ott to bring cameras and recording equipment into the courtroom for the hearing. We will continue to update this story as information becomes available.