A mother accused of allowing the death of her two-year-old daughter has made a court appearance alongside the man accused of murdering the toddler.
Dana Carr, 24, formerly of Shotton Colliery, appeared before Teesside Crown Court charged with allowing the death of a child and a second charge of child cruelty.
And Michael Daymond, also formerly of Shotton Colliery, appeared in court via a video link from Leeds Prison accused of the murder of the young girl. A second charge of child cruelty was also added to the allegation made against the 26-year-old.
Two-year-old Maya Louise Chappell died in hospital in September, two days after being found in a critical condition at an address in Shotton Colliery.
Read more: Teenager and man in court over murder of 'much-loved' North East dad
Judge Howard Crowson vacated a trial date set for Daymond in March to enable time for both defendants to be tried at the same time.
No pleas were entered to any of the charges.
Draymond was remanded in custody while Carr was released on bail until her next hearing on condition that she hand in her passport to police, not interfere with prosecution witnesses and she was made subject to an electronically tagged curfew between 7pm and 7am.
A further hearing will take place on Friday, January 20 to set a new trial date for the pair but neither defendant is required to appear in court.
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