A judge is refusing to allow the mother of one of two slain Iowa girls out of a halfway house so she can plan her daughter's funeral.
U.S. District Judge Linda Reade declined Monday to end Misty Morrissey's supervised release 45 days early or allow her to live with her mother.
Morrissey is mother of Lyric Cook, who disappeared with cousin Elizabeth Collins in Evansdale in July. The bodies of the girls were found this month by hunters.
Morrissey has lived at the Residential Reentry Center in Waterloo since August, and is allowed to leave for work and scheduled events. Morrissey's attorney says she is unable to devote enough time and attention to planning Lyric's Dec. 29 memorial service while at the center.
