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ORANGEBURG (WACH) -- Shaquan Duley, 29, was back in court Monday.

Dressed in black, Duley appeared emotional as Solicitor David Pascoe argued why she should remain in jail.

“We ask it to be denied because of the defendant’s initial lies to law enforcement to cover this malicious act,” Pascoe said.

The Orangeburg mother is accused of suffocating her two sons, then strapping their bodies in their car seats and driving her vehicle into the Edisto River.

Speaking on Duley’s behalf at her bond hearing, family and friends describe the 29-year-old as a good person and someone who had never been in trouble with the law.

“Shaquan is a very loving and kind-hearted person,” said mother Helen Duley.

Duley’s attorney Carl Grant asked Circuit Judge Edgar Dickson to consider setting his client’s bond between $25,000 and $50,000.

According to Grant, Duley tried to commit suicide as many as three times, and claims she attempted to drown herself, when driving her car into the Edisto River.

“Shaquan was unemployed, she was raising three small children by herself and I am informed the father of her children was not providing any child support,” Grant said.                 

He added that after Duley was taken into custody last month, she was diagnosed with a mental disorder, but the judge sided with the prosecution.

However, if a trial date has not been set within six months and Duley's attorney has new information to provide the court, the judge will consider a rehearing.