The mother of three young brothers from Vernon who were at the center of an Amber Alert in May appeared in court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty.
Vernon Police charged Jackie Morris, 32, with three counts of first-degree custodial interference and three counts of risk of injury to a minor. When she appeared in court last month, the judge also issued three no-contact protective orders for the children. She pleaded not guilty to all six charges and the case was continued to July 16.
Morris was arrested in Maine, waived extradition. She was originally held on a $250,000 bond. But, during a court appearance last month, her attorney asked a judge in Rockville Superior Court to release her on a promise to appear.
Instead, the judge set it to $20,000.
Morris' sons, Ryan Lewis, 9, and 7-year-old twins, Brandon Lewis and Dylan Lewis, were returned home to Vernon on May 15 after police issued a multi-state alert.
Morris,has visitation rights, but concerns arose when disappeared after checking out of a Vernon motel on Mother's Day and the boys did not show up for school for two days after Mother's Day weekend.
