Corneaus Refuse To Give Information About Baby

For a third time, two members of an Attleboro, Mass., religious sect were ordered back to jail Thursday for refusing to tell the whereabouts of their baby.

The lawyer for Rebecca and David Corneau said that Rebecca Corneau suffered a miscarriage last year -- but the Corneaus won't say anything about the baby's remains.

NewsCenter 5's Rhondella Richardson said that the state plans to go back to court as many times as it takes to get some answers.

The Corneaus, members of an Attleboro, Mass., religious sect, were given another chance to get out of jail and another chase to purge themselves of a judge's contempt order.

Rebecca Corneau said that she had a miscarriage in November.

The Department of Social Services and the court believe there is a baby Corneau and the court demanded that the Corneaus produce the child.

"I would ask that the child be produced or the location of the burial site disclosed to the court," attorney John Rego said.

"There is no child and never has been a child. Your honor should allow them to be released from jail," J.W. Carney Jr., the Corneaus' attorney, said.

"No witnesses have been brought forward by the Corneaus' attorney to verify their account of a third-trimester miscarriage," DSS spokeswoman Carol Yelverton said. The couple refused to testify Thursday, so in a quick 10-minute hearing, Judge Kenneth Nasif ruled for the state

"I'm going to order that the Corneaus be in contempt and be remanded to jail for one further month," Nasif said.

"It is agonizing to see my clients remain in jail when they have come here and told the truth," Carney said.

"We would see this end quickly, but until the court has enough evidence to be clear that there is a living child or that Mrs. Corneau miscarried, our hands are tied," Yelverton said.

The Corneaus were recently allowed out of jail to attend the funeral of sect member Roger Dano. The Corneaus' attorney said that Dano died of a heart attack.

DSS said that they are not sure what Dano died of because the religious group does not seek medical attention.

The agency said that it's important that it learns the whereabouts of the Corneaus' child so the state can determine the child's health and well-being.