CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Clarksville mother charged with starving her 13-year-old son with cerebral palsy to death appeared in court Thursday, requesting the judge lower her $1 million bond, which was ultimately denied in part due to disturbing new evidence being revealed.

Cheyenne Maddox is charged with five counts of aggravated child abuse and murder in connection to the death of her son, 13-year-old Kadaris Maddox.

Kadaris died of malnutrition on July 6, according to his autopsy.

Clarksville homicide detective Bryan Hughes testified in court Thursday, saying Kadaris was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and was unable to stand, walk, talk, or eat on his own.

Hughes told the court on July 6, Cheyenne called 911 and told the operator her son had suffocated himself with a blanket while she was out looking for the family dog with her other children.

When Hughes responded to Cheyenne’s home on the 911 call, he saw Kadaris’ body, which he described as having virtually no muscle mass and resembling a skeleton, according to testimony.

He recounted how Cheyenne told him she pureed Kadaris’ food to make it easier for him to swallow, however, Hughes testified he could not find any kind of blender inside the home.

In court, Hughes described records indicating Cheyenne canceled Kadaris’ in-home medical care the month leading up to his death. He added the documents said Kadaris had not seen his primary care doctor since Dec. 2020.

During cross examination, the defense argued Cheyenne took care of her seven children with very little help, had a minimal criminal record, and never had her children removed from her care.

Cheyenne’s attorney asked the judge to lower his client’s $1 million dollar bond, citing Rule 8. He told the judge Cheyenne had already made bond twice before after being arrested on previous charges related to the case, paying $85,000; he argued the state indicted her three separate times on purpose to keep her in jail.

The judge denied the defense’s request to lower Cheyenne’s $1 million bond.

Cheyenne is currently being held in the Montgomery County Jail.