Modesto woman’s defense will not seek bail on charge she murdered her 4-year-old daughter
The defense withdrew a bail request Tuesday for a Modesto woman charged with murdering her 4-year-old daughter.
Mina Nazari, 34, will remain without bail at the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center. She is accused of stabbing Sana Akram at their southeast Modesto apartment on Oct. 14 and trying to kill her 10-year-old son.
Deputy Public Defender Ryan Bowler had asked for the bail review during Nazari’s arraignment on Oct. 17. That office has since suspended the request, without an explanation in court, but said it could resume it later.
Deputy District Attorney Fawn Smolak said last week that if an amount is set, it should be at least $2.635 million under California’s bail schedule. The prosecutor also said the Iranian-born Nazari could be a flight risk due to contacts overseas.
Nazari pleaded not guilty to all charges at the arraignment, overseen by Superior Court Judge Kellie Westbrook. Tuesday’s appearance was before Judge Dawna Reeves, who ordered the defendant to return for a Jan. 23 case-management conference.
Farsi interpreter in court
Nazari was assisted by a Farsi interpreter as she sat shackled at the defense table. A few family members were in the courtroom but did not comment afterward.
Modesto police said officers responded at about 12:45 p.m. that Saturday to a reported assault at the apartment. It is in the gated Crown Ridge complex at Scenic Drive and Claus Road.
Police said officers found Sana dead at the scene and her brother uninjured. Nazari was arrested there the same day.
No disclosure of what led to death
Police and the prosecution have not said what led to the child’s death. The weapon was a knife, according to a complaint filed Oct. 17 by the District Attorney’s Office.
Nazari is charged with the first-degree murder of Sana and with a second count of child abuse causing her death. She also faces three charges involving her son: attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and child endangerment.
A friend of the family created a GoFundMe account for Sana’s burial expenses. As of Tuesday, it stood at $11,815 toward its $20,000 goal. The sponsor said the child’s father, Fahim Akram, is a full-time Uber driver.
This story was originally published October 24, 2023 at 5:58 PM.
