A man indicted by a Trumbull County Grand Jury for attempting to kill his girlfriend and for murdering her mother pleaded not guilty to all counts as he was arraigned on Friday.

Douglas Day's $1-million bond was continued and he was taken back over to the Trumbull County Jail handcuffed and shackled.

But it was an emotional day as the drama in the case continued outside of the courtroom.

That's because shooting survivor, Tiffany Lambert, is fighting to regain custody of her children from the suspect's mother.

Through tear-filled eyes Lambert told 21 News, "They're playing with my children like they're pawns in some kind of game, and it's killing me."

Lambert came straight from the funeral where she buried her mother Catherine who was murdered, to face the man she says shot them both on April 25th, her boyfriend of six years Douglas Day.

"I came here because I want Douglas to know that he did not break me and he still is not breaking me and I am going to fight until the end of this to make sure he gets prosecuted to the fullest extent and that my children will never be able to be in contact with a monster like him again," Lambert said.

Lambert says while she was hospitalized, Day's mother Shawn Trembly petitioned the court to get "emergency temporary custody" of the couple's 5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son.

"She called Children Services while I was in the hospital and made up a bunch of false accusations stating that I was mentally unstable and she was worried about how I was going to treat my children, and she was sure that I would not be able to care for my children properly after I was released from the hospital.  Also on her complaint it says that her son asked her to get custody," Lambert said.

The Trumbull County woman says she has never been away from her children and cried as she said she's worried they'll think she's somehow abandoned them.

"This is unfair and unjust the way this is happening to me.  This is absolutely heartbreaking to me and she is a monster for trying to keep these children away from me because she knows what a good mom I am," Lambert said.

Trumbull County Children's Services could not talk specifically about this case, but says a grandparent can not  be punished for the sins of a father.

Tim Schaffner is the Executive Director of Trumbull County CSB, "The court wants to make a decision in the best interest of the children always. Because a parent makes a mistake however serious, or another parent doesn't make a mistake and is victimized doesn't necessarily reflect on the safety and the fitness of grandparents."

21 News contacted grandmother Shawn Trembly who lives in the Ashtabula area.  

Trembly claims she is making arrangements for the children to see their mother.  When asked how and when, she said the details are none of our business.

Trembly was also asked about several charges that come up on the court docket from Geauga County about her, including a domestic violence, but she made it clear she was never convicted of that and we did in fact confirm with the court that the charge was dismissed, along with another charge.

Lambert says she can fight to get custody back on May 24th when a hearing is set.  But that's just about 20 days away and the Trumbull County woman says that's unfair to someone who has already lost so much.

The only reason Lambert believes Trembly was granted "emergency temporary custody" is because as their mother she was in the hospital after being shot allegedly by the children's father, and the father was in jail after being arrested for the crime.

What Trembly doesn't understand is why the system would allow her to feel victimized twice.