A former Gering woman indicted earlier this month in the death of her two year old daughter more than 4-1/2 years ago is free on bond after surrendering to authorities and making her first appearance in court.

Charyse Geurts turned herself in to Scotts Bluff County authorities Thursday night, then appeared in Scotts Bluff County District Court on Friday on charges of accessory to a felony and providing false information…both connected to the July 2008 death of her daughter Juliette.

Defense attorney Bell Island says Guertz posted a $5,000 case bond after her hearing and after continuing to maintain her innocence.

Geurts, 26-year old Dustin Chauncey…indicted by the grand jury for the actual killing…were in the Gering home when Juliette died. Her mother said she found the toddler dead in her crib, but an autopsy showed that girl died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Island says in a statement that “not a day passes that Charyse does not think about her daughter,” has cooperated with police in the investigation, and does not know why she’s been charged.

He won’t discuss Geurts’ version of what happened on the day of the murder because of the pending legal proceedings, but maintains the she wants the person responsible for her daughter’s death prosecuted and punished. The case languished with no charges and no arrests until a petition drive last year was successful in calling the grand jury that indicted Charyse Guerts and Chauncey earlier this month.

Chauncey was sentenced to prison in Colorado last week on unrelated charges, but Scotts Bluff County authorities plan to seek his return to Nebraska through extradition. He’s charged with child abuse resulting in death and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Juliette Guerts.