Bond Set for Fairburn Woman Maria Owens Accused in Baby's Death

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The Fairbu mother accused of murdering an 11-month-old boy earlier this month could be out of jail by Friday. A Fulton County judge granted Maria Owens a $50,000 bond on Tuesday after hearing the evidence against her in the death of little Jalen Kelly.

The medical examiner's description of Jalen Kelly's inteal injuries was graphic. His mother had to leave the courtroom as others, including Owens’ family, listened in tears.

While experts say it's clear something horrible happened to the 11-month-old boy, the suspect's attoey says there's no evidence that Maria Owens is responsible.

Courtroom observers wept as a Fulton County medical examiner vividly described the broken spinal column and numerous inteal injuries that left Jalen Kelly dead on June 1. The medical examiner told Judge Karen Woodson it would take an extraordinary amount of force to cause the injuries.

Owens, 42, was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault and child cruelty days after Jalen died. The mother of six was babysitting Jalen and his sister in her Fairbu home when she says she noticed the boy struggling to breathe. According to Fairbu Police Detective Tiffany Hudson, Owens admitted she patted Jalen's back in an effort to clear his airway.

The 911 call Owens made was played during her preliminary hearing on Tuesday. In it, you can hear her describing Jalen's condition, which she said at one point appeared to be improving. But the detective says it was Owens own admission to patting Jalen that led to her arrest.

Defense attoey Mawuli Mel Davis says there's no question something horrible happened. But he says there's no evidence Owens was responsible, and the detective testified there was no evidence of any intent to do harm.

Judge Woodson granted Owens a $50,000 bond, something a courtroom full of family, friends and church members vowed to raise to get the mother of six out of jail by week's end.

In Tuesday’s testimony, we leaed that Jalen Kelly was dropped off at Owens’ home around 7:10 a.m., and started having breathing problems around 11 a.m. The Fairbu Police detective says based on her conversation with the medical examiner, there is no way Jalen's injuries could have been inflicted before he was dropped off.

The medical examiner says the baby boy wouldn't have survived that long had his back been broken earlier that moing.