The Georgia teen accused of killing her parents as they slept was denied bond as a judge cited her potential as a danger to other family members or to flee.
Sarah Grace Patrick, 17, sobbed during the bond hearing as several witnesses were called including her former pastor and a high school friend in support of her character. Despite their testimony, Judge Dustin Hightower said prosecutors had met their burden to deny her bond.
Hightower said family members had expressed "vast concerns that she would have the ability to flee; that she would be a danger to the community; that she would be a danger to them." He also said concern was expressed about her ability to intimidate or manipulate witnesses should she be free on bond.
Patrick is accused of shooting her mother, Kristin Brock, 41, and her stepfather, James Brock, 45, to death in their bed. The bodies were later found by her 5-year-old sister. Patrick was the one to call 911.
Following her parents' deaths, Patrick stayed at the homes of various relatives, Carroll County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ashley Hulsey said. Patrick was not charged with the homicides until July.
A month before her arrest, someone claiming to be Patrick reportedly contacted, Janice, a true crime blogger who runs "Allegedly Reportedly." The message was from a user named "Sarah Grace", asking that she cover the "Brock case." The user claimed to be the child of the dead couple and said an assailant "shot my parents brutally leaving them for me and my little sister to wake up to," according to messages shared with PEOPLE.
"I think it would be a really big hit [because] the only person who posted about it made it as the first image you see when you Google [their] names," one message reportedly read.
