BREVRAD COUNTY, Fla. — UPDATE 12/8/21: A judge granted Lakeisha Mitchell a $13,500 bond on Wednesday. The judge ruled Mitchell has to be on a GPS monitor and cannot live in a home with any minors. The judge said she is allowed to go to church, work and doctor’s appointments.
ORIGINAL STORY: A Titusville foster mom accused of murdering a 4-year-old placed in her care is trying to bond out of custody as her criminal case moves forward.
Lakeisha Mitchell’s attorney said his client denies causing the injuries that killed 4-year-old Joy King-Castro.
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The girl was found unresponsive in her foster mother, Lakeisha Mitchell’s, home back in August.
Mitchell is now charged with the girl’s murder.
READ: Foster mother accused of killing child says she asked agency for help multiple times
Brevard County Medical Examiner Dr. Sajid Qaiser was called to the stand during a bond hearing to describe the injuries he found on Joy’s body.
Qaiser said the cause of the girl’s death was blunt force trauma, bodily injuries with strangulation, and the manner of death was homicide.
READ: Police report gives insight into past of foster mother accused of killing child in her care
The judge said he will provide a written ruling on Mitchell’s bond status by the end of the week.
In the months since her death, Channel 9 learned Joy had a history of behavioral problems. We also discovered that prior to Joy’s death, two other foster children were removed from Mitchell’s home after an allegation of abuse.
READ: Brevard County case worker recalls getting call 4-year-old died in foster care
No charges were filed in that case.
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