Created: 3/30/2005 12:43:54 PM 
By First Coast News Staff
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- It was a tough morning in court for Wilson and Brenda Sullivan.
Not only did they have to face a judge and hear that they would face more charges, but they also were met by a barrage of cameras and reporters.
The Sullivans were each facing one count of "aggravated child neglect."
It carries a possible sentence of 15 years in prison.
The state has upped those charges to "aggravated child neglect", which carries twice the penalty.
"She's done nothing wrong. She's cared for 6 or 7 healthy children," said Brenda Sullivan's attorney, Lee Lockett.
"One is a healthy adult in the U.S Navy. She's done nothing wrong. She's cared for the children adequately and she's adamantly denying the allegations."
Lockett says he doesn't yet know why the state increased the charges.
He says it certainly ups the ante. But it doesn't necessarily make his job any tougher, it's tough enough.
The couple is accused of keeping their 17-year-old son locked in a caged crib.
The Sullivans pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
According to investigators the boy only weighed 48 pounds when he was taken into DCF custody.
Six of the couple's children were also taken from the Sullivan home.
"It's been tough. It's been tragic, not only on the child in question and all the other children were removed to with the exception of the adult children so it's been tough," said Lockett.
The unusual charges have made this a high profile case in the Duval County Courthouse.
Nearly every local television station had a camera along with local news radio stations and newspapers.
Ordrianne Sullivan, the sister of Wilson Sullivan, was in the courtroom offering him and his wife support.
She mouthed the words "I love you" to her brother from the gallery shortly before he approached the judge.
She then helped guide her sister-in-law Brenda out of the courtroom, through the maze of cameras and microphones.
Lockett says he's been telling his client to "stay strong".
"She's been really strong. She's been an amazing client and she knows it's an uphill battle and she's going to make it through it."
The Sullivans maintain that they had a prescription to use the caged crib because their son suffers from psychosocial dwarfism and has behavior problems.
The attorney claims the couple got permission to use a crib like this 1995 from family services in Akron, Ohio.
But investigators in Akron say they're not sure it's the same one.
The couple is expected to be back in court in mid-April.
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