COLUMBIA, SC (WIS/AP) -
The trial of a South Carolina mother charged in the case of her missing son continued Tuesday, four days after she gave birth to a daughter.
Circuit Judge Knox McMahon on Tuesday rejected a request for a mistrial filed by Zinah Jennings' attorney.
Jennings is charged with illegal neglect of a child regarding her missing son.
She gave birth to a baby girl last Friday. McMahon said he would take more frequent breaks to give Jennings time to rest and recuperate from childbirth.
The judge said he talked to Zinah's doctor and she was able to stand trial. He also told the courtroom they would break every 45 minutes so Zinah could have a rest.
Once the trial resumed Tuesday, a Columbia Police investigator working the case testified about how Jennings didn't have much to say about the disappearance of her son.
"Zinah, at that point was giving us vague information about Amir, that he was fine but that's pretty much about it," said investigator Colin Bailey.
Bailey said he was called to investigate what happed to little Amir in late December 2011.
He said through research, he discovered no one had seen Amir since November 29th when bank surveillance showed him with his mom.
To prove his point, he showed video after video of Zinah using her EBT card over the following weeks. Amir was not with her.
"That is the last sighting of Amir Jennings on video or any sighting from family or friends," testified Bailey.
Bailey said Zinah eventually gave him what he thought was a lead -- a written statement.
"She wrote, 'Amir is with his father Earnest Robinson. I dropped him off on December 6th, 2011, he is safe and happy,'" Bailey testified.
But he said Earnest Robinson is not Amir's father and Amir is still missing.
With special permission, Zinah's own mother sat at her side as the testimony continued. She has said over the past months that she thinks that Amir is out there and he's ok.
A high school friend testified last week that Jennings told her she was stressed by parenting and considered selling or giving away the boy.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Zinah Jennings
Amir Jennings
