In Surprise Move, Baby Justice's Mother Will Face Manslaughter Charge For Infant Son's Death

YOLO COUNTY (CBS13) — In a surprise move minutes before a mother's arraignment for the death of her infant son, the Yolo County District Attorney's office announced she would be facing an involuntary manslaughter charge.

Leading up to Wednesday's hearing, investigators had been pointing toward a possible murder charge for Samantha Green in the death of 20-day-old Justice Rees. At a press conference announcing Green's arrest on Saturday, Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto said she would face a murder charge, but it was up to the DA's office to determine what degree.

Instead, prosecutors have charged Green with involuntary manslaughter and other felony charges in the death of Baby Justice. Prosecutors declined to say why they didn't charge her with murder.

Members of the Rees and Green families attended Wednesday's hearing, but did not offer comment.

Green was arrested on Saturday after disappearing with Baby Justice for more than a day on Feb. 21. On Feb. 24, she emerged from a slough late at night where she reportedly claimed she had been brought after being kidnapped. Her baby's body was discovered nearby the next day.

Chris Tafoya was the only person willing to speak on behalf of Green on Wednesday. He says he saw Mom and baby just a week before they went missing.

"She loved her baby very much," Tafoya said. "I met the baby, everything was fine. She didn't seem distraught or anything, we talked about how cute he was, how labor went, everything was fine."

He is now hoping for the best.

"I don't think she's capable of doing something like this. No. This isn't like her," he said.

Meanwhile, Justice's father Frank Rees was in court at the same time on unrelated charges in another courtroom. He accepted a plea deal after facing misdemeanor warrants for driving without a license and other charges, but he still has a warrant in Lake County.

Prieto said on Wednesday that at this point, investigators don't believe Rees had anything to do with Baby Justice's death.

Green is behind bars on $250,000 bail. She is due back in court on March 30.