ORLANDO, Fla. —The mother of a missing 3-year-old girl was accused Tuesday in an indictment of killing her daughter, prosecutors said, even though the child’s body has not been found during an exhaustive four-month search.

A grand jury returned charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to investigators against Casey Anthony in the death of her daughter, Caylee, State Attorney Lawson Lamar said. The mother is being held without bond.

A few hours before the sealed indictment was issued, the 22-year-old Anthony stood silently, sometimes crying, as her attorney told reporters she is innocent.

“Casey is going through a nightmare,” Jose Baez said. “I sincerely believe that when we have finally spoken, everyone, and I mean everyone, will sit back and say, ‘Now, I understand. That explains it.’”

Casey Anthony’s father, George, testified Tuesday behind closed doors to the 19-member grand jury along with a detective, a cadaver dog handler and an FBI agent.