( CNN ) -- The maternal grandmother of a 7-month-old Florida girl found hidden in a small cedar box under her baby sitter 's bed says her daughter , who was charged in the case , is troubled and needs help . Police think Chrystina Lynn Mercer gave Shannon Lee Dedrick to the sitter -- who is the baby 's paternal aunt , Susan Baker -- and 10 hours later reported the girl missing . `` As confused as Tina is , I have to tell you , she has emphatically stated that she did not and would not ever harm her child , '' Mercer 's mother , Kandis Boyer , said Thursday on HLN 's `` Nancy Grace . '' Without elaborating , Boyer said she thinks her daughter `` was manipulated into this situation . '' Baker , whose home Shannon was found in , was also charged in connection with the incident , Washington County Sheriff Bobby Haddock has said . The baby is in protective custody with the state and is in good health despite her ordeal , according to Boyer , who says she drove nearly 900 miles in 14 hours from Texas to Florida when Shannon disappeared . According to Haddock , Baker took custody of Shannon from her mother on Saturday . Boyer said her daughter told her she only let Baker care for the child , nothing more . Asked why Mercer reported the child missing to police , Boyer said she did not know . Boyer said her daughter has said `` so many different things '' and that `` she seems to be very confused . That 's what I 've gathered from talking to her myself since I have been here from Texas . '' She said her daughter has had counseling over the years , and `` she 's going to get the help she needs now . '' Clothes and baking powder to hide the smell of soiled diapers were found inside the 2-foot-by-3-foot box . Shannon had been inside the box for about half a day before authorities found her late Wednesday , but she might have been in and out of the box for several days , investigators said .
7-month - old Florida girl reported missing , found in small box under baby sitter 's bed . Police say she gave baby to grandmother , who is baby 's paternal aunt . Mom , aunt both charged in case ; now in police custody . ' ` ` seems to be very confused , '' baby 's grandmother says .