Hearing moved to June for Highland Park couple accused of murder, torture, abuse of nephew | MLive.com

The aunt and uncle of a 4-year-old Highland Park boy who starved to death on Mother's Day made a brief appearance in  Wayne County 30th today.

Matilda Jane Brown Gardner, 30, and her husband, Randy Steven Gardner, 32, waived their right to a preliminary examination within 14 days of their arraignment, which occurred May 12.

The Gardner's lawyer, Robert Kinney, said he needed more time to study the evidence and prepare for the hearing. 

Chief Judge Brigette R. Officer accepted the 14-day waiver and moved the examination to 9 a.m. June 10.

The Gardners, who will remain in jail without bond, arecharged with first-degree murder, felony murder, first-degree child abuse and first-degree torture in the death of their nephew, Robert Byrd.

The couple stood in the corner of Officer's courtroom for about five minutes, wearing dark green jail-issued uniforms, as she asked questions about the request for adjournment.

During the couple’s arraignment hearing earlier this month, when asked if Matilda Gardner understood the charges, she replied, “yes, but I didn’t do it.”

The Gardeners took legal custody of Byrd after his mother died of a brain aneurism in 2007, and his father was incarcerated in 2009.

Five other children stayed at the home in the 200 block of California Street but were apparently unhurt, according to reports. One was the 6-year-old brother of Robert, and the others are the Gardners' four sons.

Nearly 300 people gathered over the weekend to pay their last respects to Byrd, whose death from starvation on May 8 was ruled a homicide .