GRAND FORKS, N.D. - A Grygla, Minn., man charged with not reporting the death of his girlfriend's daughter appeared Friday morning in Grand Forks District Court.
Clarence Smith, 35, was arrested last week, more than a month after his girlfriend, Jody Weaver, 38, was arrested for her part in the unusual situation. The charges arise from the death this winter of Weaver's 2-year-old daughter, Destiny. Authorities say Destiny Weaver died in Grand Forks at least two weeks before Smith and Weaver reported her death Feb. 12 from a St. Hilaire, Minn., gas station.
The child's body had been carried to St. Hilaire in the trunk of a car, in a plastic tote box.
Smith and Weaver were charged with willful disturbance of a dead body and with failure to report a death. Both are misdemeanor charges. Weaver also was charged with two counts of child neglect for exposing two of her other children, a 3-year-old girl and Destiny Weaver's twin brother, to the decomposing body of their sister.
Smith posted bond of $2,500 for failure to report the death and $5,000 for willful disturbance of the child's body. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 18.
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Weaver remains in jail on a $9,000 bond. Her next appearance is scheduled for Sept. 14.
