Her mother, Marilyn Beers, is seeking to regain custody, but the county is fighting her request and has charged her with neglect.

Marilyn Beers, Katie's mother, and Linda Inghilleri, Katie's godmother, have admitted quarreling for some time over the girl's care.

Mr. Donahue said that he had invited Marilyn Beers to be on the show and that she had declined.

Marilyn Beers appeared in Family Court today to press for custody of her 10-year-old daughter, Katie, but was greeted with new legal troubles.

Mrs. Inghilleri was Katie's godmother and an old friend of Katie's mother, Marilyn Beers.

She had lived with the Inghilleris since she was 2 months old, and lived only briefly with her mother, Marilyn Beers.

While the police investigation continued, Katie's mother, Marilyn Beers, 43, waited by the telephone and prayed for a call from the girl.

Katie's mother, Marilyn Beers, has asked that Katie be returned to her immediately.

But Katie's mother, Marilyn Beers of Mastic Beach, said this afternoon that she would fight the county.

The documents were released as Katie's mother, Marilyn Beers, arrived in court for a pretrial hearing on charges of neglect and a new charge of abuse.