By Denise Lavoie
Associated Press
BOSTON — The mother of a young girl dubbed Baby Doe and identified almost three months after her remains washed up inside a trash bag on a Boston Harbor beach was ordered held on $1 million cash bond Monday, and the mother’s boyfriend was denied bail on murder charges.
Rachelle Bond, the mother of 2-year-old Bella Bond, and Michael McCarthy appeared in court for an emotionally charged arraignment. McCarthy is charged with killing Bella, whose body was found by a dog walker on Deer Island in June. Bond, who wore a gray zip-up sweater with the hood up at court, is charged as an accessory after the fact.
As a prosecutor detailed the state’s case against the pair, Bella’s godmother, Megan Fewtrell, yelled at Bond: “I hope you rot in hell!” She was escorted from the courtroom while clutching a yellow stuffed duck, which she said Bella took to bed with her every night.
Joe Amoroso, who identified himself as Bella’s biological father, yelled as McCarthy was being led away after his arraignment: “Mike McCarthy, you’re done! You won’t last a day.”
A composite image of the chubby-cheeked girl with deep brown eyes had been viewed by millions as authorities tried to identify her. The big break came last week when Boston police received a tip and a search warrant was executed at her mother’s apartment.
Assistant District Attorney David Deakin said Monday that police got the tip after Bond broke down in tears Sept. 16 and told a friend of McCarthy that McCarthy had killed Bella.
The man said Bond told him she had been off drugs for the last couple of days. When the man told her that was good news, that she’d now be able to get her daughter back from state custody, he said Bond broke down crying and said, “I’ll never see my daughter again,’” according to the prosecutor.
Bond told him: “Michael McCarthy killed her,” according to Deakin. The man told his sister, and she contacted authorities, Deakin said.
The man told police he had lived with the couple and Bella earlier this year but moved out because he was appalled at how they treated her.
According to the friend, the couple had locked Bella inside a closet at least twice for 30 minutes to an hour while she screamed to be freed, the prosecutor said. The friend said McCarthy and Bond told him Bella was possessed by demons, Deakin said.
During a search of their apartment, police found books there on demons and demonology, Deakin said.
The prosecutor said Bond, 40, told police that one night in late May, Bella didn’t want to go to bed and was fussy. McCarthy, 35, said he would go into the bedroom to calm her down, Deakin said.
A little while later, when Bond realized she didn’t hear any noise coming from the room, she went to check on Bella and found her lying on a bed and McCarthy standing over her with his hand near her abdomen, the prosecutor said.
Deakin said Bond reported that Bella’s head was swollen and she was gray and that she knew her daughter was dead when she picked her up.
According to Bond, McCarthy said, “She was a demon anyway. It was her time to die.”
Bond’s lawyer, Janice Bassil, asked the judge to set a low cash bail of $250 and allow her to be under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. The comment drew murmurs and snickers from people in the courtroom.
McCarthy’s lawyer, Jonathan Shapiro, did not ask for his release on bail.
The judge instead ordered Bond held on $1 million cash bail and McCarthy held without bail.
The prosecutor said Bond told authorities that McCarthy threatened to kill her if she told anyone what he had done to Bella. Bond said she allowed McCarthy to get a plastic construction bag and believes McCarthy put Bella’s body inside and then put the bag inside a refrigerator, the prosecutor said.
Later, Bond said, McCarthy put the bag containing Bella’s body inside a duffel bag and put the duffel bag inside the trunk of his vehicle, Deakin said. He drove the car to the Boston Seaport, added weights to the bag and then dumped the bag into the water, the prosecutor said.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press