MONTEGO BAY, St James — Twenty-six-year-old Melissa Harriot, the woman accused of stealing a baby in the parking lot at Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James last month, had her bail reduced when she appeared in the St James Parish Court on Monday.

The sum, which was first set at $350,000, has been reduced to $200,000.

Presiding Judge Sandra Wong Small reduced the sum after the new lawyer for the accused, Michael Hemmings, told the court that his client was unable to take up the bail given by Judge Kaysha Grant on January 22.

Hemmings had originally asked Judge Wong Small for the amount of $350,000 to be reduced by half. However, following deliberations, the figure was settled at $200,000.

“On that occasion, a bail application was made. Unfortunately, Miss Harriot is unable to take up the said bail, based on the amount. The bail amount that was offered was in the sum of $350,000 with one or two sureties…I would humbly request if Her Honour could exercise the discretion that she has in reducing the amount. My instruction is a reasonable amount would be half of the $350,000,” Hemmings said.

The attorney further noted that all other conditions could remain as previously stipulated by Judge Grant during last month’s sitting. The accused was ordered by Judge Grant to report to the Discovery Bay Police Station on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between the hours of 7:00 am and 7:00 pm. A stop order was also imposed as part of her bail condition.

In the meantime, the court was told that closed circuit television (CCTV) footage was still being awaited. The investigating officer reportedly has the footage on a flash drive and is expected to transfer it to a compact disk. It was also disclosed that there are two statements outstanding.

Following deliberations, a return date was set for Wednesday, March 27.

“Miss Harriot, your matter will be mentioned before the court again on the 27th of March at 10 o’clock in the morning. Your bail offer is now varied to $200,000. Everything else remains the same,” Judge Wong Small said on Monday.

The police reported that on January 4, the baby’s mother had asked Harriot to hold the child while she went to the restroom. However, when the mother returned, both her baby and the accused were nowhere to be found.

Harriot, who is formerly of a St Ann address and who, at the time of the incident, lived with her common-law husband in St James, was arrested by the police in Norwood following the recovery of the baby on January 6. Residents had reportedly contacted the police and provided information that led to premises in the community where she lived, following the release of closed-circuit television images from the hospital.

Harriot was later charged with child stealing and the baby was returned to her parents.