Lawyers walk out on ‘Cult Mom’ Lori Vallow

‘Doomsday’ mom Lori Vallow maintains innocence in case of missing children; no explanation for why two lawyers quit defense team

Lori Vallow’s one remaining attorney has insisted his client is innocent after two lawyers left the defense team.

Vallow’s children, 17-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow, have not been seen since September. Vallow was arrested last month in Hawaii on child desertion charges, and extradited to Idaho. She now remain jailed in Madison County on $1 million bail, reduced from $5 million.

As ABC News reports, two of Vallow’s attorneys removed themselves from the case last Friday. Her remaining attorney, Mark Mean, insisted in a statement that Vallow did not commit a crime.

“As with any citizen of our Country, Mrs. Daybell is entitled to all the privileges and rights that accompany our cornerstone belief of inno[cence] until proven beyond a reasonable doubt otherwise,” the statement read. “It is this innocence that Mrs. Daybell assertively maintains regarding all charges.”

According to the report, Means did not immediately respond when asked for an explanation for why the two lawyers quit Vallow’s case.

Police have said that Vallow has been uncooperative with the investigation into her children’s disappearance. Despite repeated questions from media who encountered Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell in Hawaii, neither have explained where Vallow’s children are. Daybell recently told a reporter that the kids are “safe,” but did not elaborate.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Vallow’s relatives have said they believe she and Daybell may be involved in a so-called “end-days” cult, which may have something to do with the string of deaths and disappearances connected to the couple. Both of their spouses died suddenly in 2019: Vallow’s husband Charles Vallow was fatally shot by Vallow’s brother Alex Cox, who claimed self-defense. Daybell’s wife Tammy Daybell died suddenly in her sleep in October, just weeks before he married Vallow. Authorities in Idaho are now investigating Tammy Daybell’s death.