Cousin retains custody of Heather Mack's daughter as convicted killer awaits trial in Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Convicted killer Heather Mack's daughter will remain in the custody of family in Colorado, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Mack's 7-year-old daughter had been placed in the care of Lisa Hellman as her mother awaits trial, and will remain in Hellman's care following the ruling.

The custody hearing involved 12 days of testimony.

Mack, along with her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, were convicted of brutally murdering the Oak Park woman's mother, Sheila Von Weise-Mack, in Bali in 2014. Mack gave birth to her daughter in an Indonesian prison.

There were four people initially seeking custody of the girl, but due to a residency issue with one woman, only three petitioners were eligible. They included Hellman, Schaefer's mother Kia Walker, and a California woman Diana Ellis.

Cook County Judge Stephanie Miller ruled Mack's daughter would remain where she is, citing testimony and evidence as well as concerns about the girl's care with other petitioners.

Mack is in jail in Chicago facing conspiracy charges related to her mother's murder, while Schafer remains locked up in Bali.