A Massachusetts District Court judge ordered the boyfriend of a woman whose son has gone missing remain in police custody without bail on Tuesday.
The Boston Globe reported that the missing child's mother was ordered to be held on $100,000 bail.
Judge Margaret Guzman stated that there was "overwhelming evidence" that 23-year-old Alberto L. Sierra Jr. should be detained with no bail option. But in the case of mother Elsa Oliver, 28, there wasn't as much proof that a no-bail hold was necessary.
"After review of the records, the court cannot say it has been convinced," Guzman said, according to the Boston Globe, "Holding people without bail pending trial is an extraordinary action."
In the case that Oliver did post bail, authorities would have to put a GPS tracking device on her person, in addition to keeping daily tabs on the mother.
But it's not clear whether Oliver will be released anytime soon. She is currently being kept in police custody in the case of a Probate and Family Court hearing. She was told to bring forth her child, which she hasn't done.
She and boyfriend Sierra are facing child abuse charges in the case of 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver, who was reported missing Dec. 2, the same day that his 7-year-old sister informed teachers at her school that Sierra was physically harming her.
Relatives who sat in on Tuesday's hearing, said that the judge's ruling was frustrating.
The mother of children with whom Jeremiah went to school said that the 5-year-old's parents should confess.
"She needs to say something," Jackie Serrano told the Globe.
Edward Valcourt, Jeremiah's cousin, asked, "Why can't they just ask her, 'Where's the boy?'"
