Mom of missing Arizona girl released; no charges

PHOENIX (AP) -- The mother of a missing 5-year-old Arizona girl has been released from jail after no charges were filed against her.

Jerice Hunter was arrested last week on suspicion of felony child abuse. No charges were filed against the 38-year-old Hunter within the required 48 hours of her first court appearance.

She was released Monday.

Jerry Cobb, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, says prosecutors will wait for more results of the police investigation into the disappearance of Jhessye (JES'-ee) Shockley before deciding whether to charge Hunter.

Hunter maintains she had nothing to do with Jhessye's disappearance more than six weeks ago.

The girl's teenage sister told police that Hunter instructed her to lie about the disappearance. She also said her mother kept the girl in a closet, and that the girl had cuts and bruises before she was reported missing.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)