Sherri Faye Shell appeared in court this morning to be arraigned on felony charges that she abused two young children, said to be a 6-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl.

During her hearing, Shell, 35, told Kosciusko Superior Court II Judge James Jarrette that her name is actually spelled Sherri, not Sherry, and she no longer resides at 866 Pine Mills Rd., as court documents and her booking sheet note. When asked what her address is so that court documents can be sent to her, Shell responded, “I just go from friend to friend.”

Shell is charged with two Class D felonies, each one is a charge of battery to a person less than 14 years of age by a person at least 18 years of age. Each charge carries a term of imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Shell admitted to Warsaw Police Detective Lee Ann Roby that she used “excessive force” in disciplining the two children, which resulted in their injuries. (See related story).

New information indicates Shell is not the children’s biological mother, but was in a relationship with their father playing the role of mother. Shell and her boyfriend also have a 1-year-old boy who, according to friends of the father, is in the father’s custody.

During this morning’s hearing, Shell asked for a public defender and a bond reduction. She has been incarcerated in the Kosciusko County Jail since her arrest on Tuesday.

Shell asked the judge if he would reduce her bond to which Judge Jarrette responded, “The bond has been set at $2,500 cash. You would need to deposit that amount of cash to be released. You can request a bond reduction hearing, but you would need to do that through your attorney.”

In response to the request, however, Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton called her bond “reasonable” and added he would need to see paperwork from her attorney “asking to see why she should have a reduced bond.”

Upon hearing that Shell has not been employed for over a year, has no income and owns no property, Judge Jarrette appointed public defender Antony Garza as Shell’s legal counsel and instructed her to speak with him about her requests. Shell said she wants a reduced bond so that she can get the medical treatment she needs but cannot get in jail.

Shell, who maintains at least three different Facebook pages, claims she is a coordinator for The Beaman Home and allegedly collected both monies and items, including clothing, for the shelter for victims of domestic violence. The Beaman Home says Shell does not and never has worked for The Beaman Home.

A bond reduction hearing will likely be set for next week.

Today’s hearing was also an opportunity for Shell to understand that, if her case goes to trial, it would be heard by a jury of 12 men and women. He also said it is possible that, upon further review of the case, the prosecutor elect to offer her a plea of two Class A misdemeanor counts which carry a lesser penalty of between 1 day and 1 year of incarceration.

Judge Jarrette told her, “The prosecutor must prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt … and in a trial he may review any past criminal history you may have.”

Not guilty pleas were initially entered on Shell’s behalf. She is ordered to appear in court again at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 26, for a pretrial hearing and again on 8:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 14, for a status conference.