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Police announced in a news release Monday that a grand jury indicted 35-year-old Andrea Watkins-Simmons on first-degree murder, felony murder and child neglect charges last week.
The death of two-year-old Ariellisa Simmons has been ruled a homicide by dehydration, according to the Richmond Medical Examiner Office Tuesday.
After fighting extradition, she finally returned to Virginia last week, according to reports. She was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, felony murder and child neglect.
She is being held without bond in Richmond City Jail and will appear in court on May 2.
The stepmother of 2-year-old Ariellisa Simmons was found guilty Friday in the childs abuse, abduction and death.
Andrea P. Watkins-Simmons, 36, was sentenced to 20 years of active prison time for second-degree murder based on a plea agreement reached between her attorney and prosecutors. Half of the original 40-year sentence was suspended, as was an additional 20 years for abduction and abuse charges.
She sat in court emotionless, staring directly ahead as Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Kelli Burnett read a lengthy narrative of the evidence that would have been presented at trial.
After hearing the evidence, David Baugh, Watkins-Simmons attorney, said it would have been sufficient to render a guilty verdict. Baugh spoke for Watkins-Simmons saying she pleads no contest to the charges. As part of the plea agreement, a charge of first-degree murder was dropped.