A 21-year-old quadriplegic man's mother is behind bars unable to post $2.5 million bail.
Authorities arraigned Nyia Parler, 41, on multiple charges including attempted murder and assault early Friday morning.
Nyia Parler charged with Attempted Murder and related charges. $2.5 million bail. A preliminary hearing date to be set early next week. — Philadelphia DAO (@Philly_DAsOfc) April 24, 2015
Parler is accused of dumping her son, who has cerebral palsy and is completely dependent on others for his care, in woods near Cobbs Creek Parkway, laying a Bible on his chest and leaving him there to die.
After the man's aunt received a call from his school (High School of the Future) on April 6, she began to communicate with Parler who responded by saying, "we're OK," said police.
"As far as we're concerned she's criminally liable for these actions that she did," said Philadelphia Police southwest Detectives Lt. John Walker. "And the courts will have the process in place to deal with it."
Authorities brought Parler from Maryland, where she had been in police custody since Monday, to Southwest Detectives Thursday.
Parler, who also has a 16-year-old son, went to Maryland on a bus the morning of April 6, according to investigators. They tracked her down shortly after a passerby discovered her son, who is "non-verbal," on April 10.
Authorities said she could have abandoned him as early as the night of April 5 -- which means he spent several days and nights on the ground as temperatures reached lows in the 30s. A blanket was over him and his wheelchair was about 10-feet away.
Philly police issued a warrant for Parler's arrest on April 11, but they were unable to bring her back to the city for a short time as she was hospitalized with an undisclosed illness at a Maryland hospital. She waived her extradition Tuesday, two days before she returned to Philly.
Authorities said Parler may never be allowed to see her son again.
