The mother who police believe may have been involved in her 4-year-old son’s death was in court Wednesday begging for her freedom.
Amanda Pinon and her boyfriend, Michael Duty, have been in the Nueces County Jail since June 2018.
They were arrested after her son, Athen, was found brutally beaten in their home on the 1700 block of Robin Drive.
Pinon and her boyfriend were charged with capital murder and have been held in jail on a $1 million bond.
This morning, Pinon and her attorney, Richard Rodgers, were back in court for a third time to ask Judge Missy Medary to reduce Pinon’s bond. Rodgers said Pinon’s family has held several benefits.
They’ve raised $4,000 for her bond but don’t have any other money. Pinon explained she doesn’t have any valuable items to sell either.
Rodgers promised if Pinon made bond, she would live in Corpus Christi with her father and brother. Judge Medary was concerned if children were in the home, but Pinon assured her no children lived there.
Rodgers explained that Pinon has three children, ages 6, 4 and 18 months old, who are in the custody of Child Protective Services. The 4-year-old child is Athen’s twin. They have all been placed with Pinon’s aunt in San Antonio. Pinon mentioned her mother lives with the same aunt.
Pinon’s attorney also said that Pinon didn’t have a history with Child Protective Services before getting involved in a relationship with her co-defendant Michael Duty.
He stated two months before Athen’s death, someone contacted CPS. and said they saw bruises on Athen. Rodgers said nothing was found.
“They (CPS) determined no misconduct through their investigation,” Rodgers said.
He also said on June 17, Pinon immediately called for help after she noticed something was wrong with her 4-year old son. But Elizabeth Tagle of the Nueces County District Attorney’s Office told Medary that wasn’t true.
“She said she wakes up after noon and police weren’t called until after 2:31 p.m.,” Tagle said.
Tagle also mentioned she was concerned about Pinon coming in contact with her three other children.
“Her children could be brought to her in her home at her direction because children are with family members and not strangers,” Tagle said.
Medary agreed, saying one of her concerns was having Pinon come in contact with Athen’s twin as she denied Pinon’s request.
Also in court, the prosecutor announced the Nueces County District Attorney’s Office does not plan to seek the death penalty in the case.
