Woman arrested in Smithfield baby remains case

SMITHFIELD, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A woman wanted in connection with last year's discovery of the remains of two infants under a home in Smithfield appeared in court on Tuesday.

ORIGINAL STORY: REMAINS FOUND IN MULTIPLE BAGS UNDER SMITHFIELD HOUSE

Bridgette Morgan Smith is charged with failing to report the deaths.

Authorities arrested Smith in Flordia on Friday and extradited her back to North Carolina.

Family members found the remains in trash bags at the home on Hartley Drive on April 16, 2016, while trying to string cable under the home.

PREVIOUS STORY: POLICE SAY REMAINS UNDER SMITHFIELD HOUSE WERE OF TWO INFANTS

Last year, Smith's family said that she has been fighting a drug addiction her entire adult life, mainly struggling with cocaine and meth.

They also said that she has been pregnant many times.

"She would stay gone months at a time," said Smith's sister-in-law Hayley Fugate. "When she finally came around, she would act like nothing was wrong. She'd walk in and be fine. We could be standing face to face and she would be big and she would just say she was fat. She would never say she was pregnant ever."

While in court, Assistant District Attorney, Andrew Tamer, expressed why he thought she should be convicted.

"Ms. Smith did feloniously conceal the death of an infant, by not notifying any authority within the jurisdiction and lacing that infant within a garbage bag," he said.

When asked what the family knew, Fugate, who is caring for Smith's known children, said nothing. She said all they had were their suspicions of pregnancies and that they had no idea those babies were under the house.

However, she feels Smith shouldn't get mercy.

"She shouldn't get a bond. She shouldn't get a court appointed lawyer. But I'm not the judge."

Smith's bond it set at $30,000. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July 13.