THE father of a four-year-old boy reported missing more than four months ago has been denied bond for the fourth time.
A judge denied the request this week as the father faces neglect charges after reportedly admitting to leaving his kids alone as he ran errands.
Cory Bigsby, who faces seven felony counts of child neglect, was denied bond for the fourth time on Tuesday.
The charges against Cory Bigsby are not directly related to his son Codi’s disappearance.
Police say Bigsby reported his son missing on January 31. Officers brought him in for questioning, and he allegedly told police that he left his young children at home twice while he visited several locations, 13 News Now reported.
The four boys, between two and five years old, were left alone over the span of two hours on January 25, from 5.09pm to 7.09pm, WAVY News reported.
The neglect charges stem from the alleged confession.
In April, Bigsby hired a new lawyer to represent him. His new lawyer Amina Matheny-Willard claims that Bigsby’s previous lawyer was ineffective.
Matheny-Willard filed a motion with the judge to get Bigsby’s bond status re-evaluated, 13 News Now reported.
“He has clearly been overcharged,” Matheny-Willard said.
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“Felonies for leaving your kids home alone is outrageous.”
Matheny-Willard said that the alleged confession would result in a referral to Child Protective Services, not felony charges.
The lawyer also pointed to the fact that Bigsby’s military records were used against him and claimed that the previous bond hearings were based on emotion, WAVY reported.
Nonetheless, the judge presiding over the case has denied each bond request.
Bigsby is scheduled to be back in court on June 13 for a preliminary hearing, which will determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial, according to 10 On Your Side.
“What the judge can do, and what I feel the judge should do at the preliminary hearing, at the very least, is reduce those charges to misdemeanors,” Matheny-Willard said.
Meanwhile, the search for Codi Bigsby is still underway and his father is the only person who police have named a person of interest in his disappearance.
The Hampton Police Division is asking anyone whose has seen Codi since December 2021 to call their non-emergency line at 757-727-6111.