Bail Set At $500K For Roseville Mother Accused In Daughter's Death

ROSEVILLE (CBS13) - Denise Wilder appeared to be in good spirits as she was smiling to herself and even laughed and joked with bailiffs before her hearing Thursday.

Denise's estranged husband Mark Wilder wouldn't talk on camera but inside the Placer County Courtroom he told the judge Denise should never see the light of day again.

In a statement he said Kennedy, their 5-year-old daughter who Denise is also accused of abusing, "Fears her mom is going to come and kill her."

Mark says, "Kennedy has only slept through the night since Denise has been in jail. She asks every night if her mom is still behind bars."

And the 5-year-old girl says, "She wishes she had died instead of 2-year-old Mckinley, because her sister was just a baby.

Prosecutors called the 37-year-old Denise a flight risk and a danger to the community, citing a pattern of alleged substance abuse dating back to April 4, the day officers found Mckinley dead under Denise's care at a family home.

The Roseville mom, prosecutors say, had a blood-alcohol content of .20. An autopsy shows little Mckinley died of malnutrition and alcohol poisoning.

But Denise allegedly continued abusing alcohol even after her daughter's death.

CBS13 learned she checked into the hospital June 4 with a blood-alcohol content of .32, nearly enough to put her in a coma. She also tested positive for cocaine.

Denise's defense said in court there are a lot of unanswered questions about Mckinley's death.

But her attorney argued that Denise should be allowed bail because she isn't a flight risk and has no criminal record.

The judge agreed, setting her bail at $500,000.

Denise's family was tight-lipped with no comments as they left the courthouse.

If Denise posts bail, she'll be supervised by law enforcement and be required to undergo treatment for substance abuse.