REXBURG, Idaho — Lori Vallow’s bond has been dropped from $1 million to $150,000 for one of the cases related to her dead children, but she still faces another significant bond, and will likely have to post bail for both before being released.

“Her access to funds is extremely limited,” said Vallow’s attorney, Mark Means.

Vallow was back in court Friday for a pretrial conference.

“My client has been a model inmate,” Means said. “These charges are not of a violent nature. There is no previous criminal record.”

The hearing was in reference to three misdemeanor charges — obstruction, solicitation and contempt in Madison County — for failing to produce her children following January and June court orders.

“When the defendant obstructed the investigation in the safety and welfare of JJ Vallow, she was hiding the location of her dead child. When she attempted to get Melani Gibb to lie to the police on her behalf, she was attempting to get Ms. Gibb to lie about the location of her dead child,” said prosecutor, Rob Wood.

Wood argued Vallow’s lies buried a dark secret.

“When she refused to comply with a lawful order to produce her children, she did so in an effort to conceal the deaths of her minor children, all while telling family and friends that they were fine,” he said.

“We were arguing about jail phone calls while [ #LoriVallow/ #Daybell] children were dead,” Rob Wood responded, “When the defendant obstructed the investigation of #JJVallow’s welfare, she was hiding the location of her dead child.” @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/kxiChQxjLU

— Garna Mejia KSL (@GarnaMejiaKSL) July 17, 2020

Wood argued for bond to remain at $1 million, or if it were to be lowered, to be at least $250,000.

“Those aggravating factors that bear on the likelihood of conviction are troubling, they’re strong, and quite frankly, they also bear on the defendant’s character,” Wood said.

Vallow’s attorney retorted that the bond should reflect the max sentence of 2 years and/or $2,500 fine, not speculation.

#LORIVALLOW/#DAYBELL in court today for pretrial conference. Hearing is for Madison Co. w/ Judge Michelle Mallard. #Vallow is requesting for bond reduction amongst other things, after felony charges- desertion of a child- were dropped. @KSL5TV will live stream at 10:30 a.m. pic.twitter.com/GA38ODCMOQ

— Garna Mejia KSL (@GarnaMejiaKSL) July 17, 2020

“The argument that has been put forth to justify a $250K bail is based, out of respect for the argument, (on) speculation that requires a certain amount of jumping from point to point,” Means said. “We would ask the court to consider the dismissal of the felony charges, which were previously the bulk of the potential incarceration time.”

Judge Michelle Mallard agreed to lower the bail to $150,000 on the condition that Vallow not have any contact with her husband, Chad Daybell, if she were to post bail.

“Regardless of what I do with bond here today, there is still another case with a $1 million bond,” Mallard said.

Vallow still has a $1 million bond out of Fremont County, where she’s facing two felony counts of conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration, or concealment of evidence in connection to the deaths of Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow.

Fremont County Sheriff’ Len Humphriees said Vallow will remain at the Madison County Women’s Detention Center until she posts bail for both cases. He said it’s not likely she would be transferred to another detention center if she posts bail for the three misdemeanor charges.

Vallow’s jury trial is set for January 25-29, 2021.

She is expected back in court on August 10-11 for felony conspiracy charges.

Prosecutors also said they are in talks with the defense to possibly consolidate the cases. The defense may request a change of venue. Developments in either scenario could impact the dates for the preliminary hearing and the jury trial.

The remains of Vallow’s children, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, were discovered buried on Chad Daybell’s property. He is also in custody on multiple felony charges out of Fremont County.

Daybell’s bail is set at $1 million.

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