Father who allegedly planned murder of 2-week-old will stay behind bars

NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Newton County father accused of killing his 15-day-old daughter and leaving her in the woods was denied bond Thursday morning.

Channel 2's Nicole Carr was in the courtroom for Christopher McNabb's hearing, which was only three minutes long.

Carr said McNabb barely said a word.

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Video taken by Channel 2 Action News shows him with his head down, coming into the basement courtroom at the Newton County Jail around 8 a.m.

McNabb nodded his head and mumbled when asked if he understood the charges against him. Those charges are felony and malice murder, aggravated battery and concealment charges.

McNabb refused a public defender. A grand jury will meet in just three weeks.

It all ties back to the Sunday afternoon discovery in woods off Henderson Mill Road. That’s where police said the body of McNabb’s 15-day-old daughter was found inside a duffel bag.

Warrants show police believe he hit baby Caliyah in the head with a blunt object, wrapped her in a t-shirt and blanket, placed her body in a duffel bag.

Just one day before her body was found, McNabb stood before Channel 2 Action News’ cameras yelling about wanting to find his baby.

The station now knows through warrants that his interview took place about 11 hours after investigators believe he was physically hid the baby’s body in the woods.

The mother, Courtney Bell, is heard on 911 call around 10 a.m. Saturday, telling the dispatcher that she and the father had last seen the baby around 5 a.m. and her toddler alerted them to the missing baby.

Dispatcher: "You and the dad were both sleeping or did he just come back home?"
Bell: "Me and him woke up together. She wakes us up together."
Dispatcher: "The 2-year-old wakes you up and told you the baby was gone?"
Bell: "Yes."
Dispatcher: "Ok."

On Thursday, we asked an investigator their thoughts on the parents' activity that morning. He would only re-iterate the mother was questioned on Sunday.

Cox Media Group