Lori Vallow, mom of Idaho children who were found dead, faces 2 new felony charges; bail set at $1M
Joel Shannon and Ryan W. Miller USA TODAYLori Vallow, the mother of two Idaho children who were found dead in June months after their disappearance, was charged Monday with two felony counts of conspiracy to destroy, alter or conceal evidence — the latest in a number of charges she and her husband face.
Vallow, who says she prefers to be called Lori Daybell, appeared in Idaho court Tuesday afternoon in a remote hearing, due to COVID-19 precautions.
Judge Faren Eddins set Vallow's bail at $1 million and detailed the new charges, which allege Vallow was a part of a conspiracy to conceal the human remains of the two children. The charges include allegations Vallow misled investigators and attempted to keep a friend from cooperating in the investigation.
Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan were found dead on the property of Chad Daybell, their stepfather and Lori Vallow's husband, in early June, police say. The horrific discovery brought a tragic end to the months-long search for the two Idaho children.
JJ, who would have turned 8 in May, and Tylee, 17, were last seen in September. Police first alerted the public that the children were missing in December after JJ's grandmother hadn't heard from the boy for months. At that time, police said their mother had been uncooperative with authorities and the children were in possible danger.
Lori Vallow and Daybell are both in custody on various felony charges tied to the case.
Vallow was arrested in February in Hawaii after she failed to meet a court-ordered deadline to bring the children to authorities in Rexburg, Idaho. Daybell was arrested weeks ago after authorities executed a search warrant at his Idaho home.
So far, no one has been charged in the kids' deaths.
Vallow's attorney has previously said she intends to defend herself against charges of child abandonment and obstructing an investigation. Daybell has pleaded not guilty to destroying or concealing the children's bodies.
The twisting case spans multiple states, death investigations and allegations of cult-like religious beliefs.
In a court document unsealed earlier in June, police say Vallow's friend, Melani Gibb, cooperated with authorities and told them that Vallow believed her children had become "zombies."
Gibb said Vallow told her she believed a "zombie" was "an individual whose mortal spirit has left their body and that their body is now the host of another spirit," an affidavit says. The new spirit is "dark" and puts the person into a "limbo" that can only be released once the person's "physical body" is killed, Vallow allegedly believed.
According to the probable cause affidavit in Daybell's case, Gibb told authorities Daybell and Vallow told her they were part of the “Church of the Firstborn” with a mission to lead the “144,000” mentioned in the Book of Revelation and to rid the world of “zombies.”
Charles Vallow, Lori's ex-husband, made similar allegations when filing for divorce. Gibb told authorities that Daybell told Lori Vallow about the beliefs in "zombies" in reference to Charles Vallow.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Via PakapNews