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The mother of missing Florida woman Michelle Parker said publicly that she fears her daughter may be dead.

"It's become a lot more real to me that someone has done something terrible to my child," Yvonne Stewart said during a brief news conference Thursday. "I cannot even begin to tell you how much pain my heart is in today"

"I had such high hopes that we would find her, and she'd be alive, and I just don't think that's going to happen, and I hate whoever did this to her," a tearful Stewart said.

Parker, a 33-year-old Orlando mother of three, was last seen Nov. 17, the same day she appeared on a taped episode of "The People's Court" with her ex-fiance, Dale Smith Jr.

Smith -- the father of Parker's 3-year-old twins -- has been named the prime suspect in her disappearance but has not been charged with any crime.

Stewart's comments came after authorities announced that police divers had found Parker's cellphone at the bottom of a lake in Belle Isle, Fla., the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The iPhone 4 was found in good condition and still in its pink, black and white case, police said in a press release.

Stewart said initially that the cellphone find was "one of the biggest breaks" in the case so far, adding, "My heart is joyful." But, at that time, Parker's sister, Lauren Erickson, said investigators had not disclosed where the phone was found.

The phone is currently being tested forensically and police hope it will provide data that will assist them in their search for the woman.

Parker and Smith appeared on the show to settle a dispute over a $5,000 engagement ring.

On the show, Parker described a tumultuous relationship with Smith that at times she said became violent.

"He gets pretty malicious and vindictive," she told the courtroom, "and he's a mean person especially when he's been drinking."

"He shouldn't have put his hands on me and he shouldn't have put his hands on me prior. He shouldn't have left me three or four times over the past year and a half that we've been together," she said.

Smith, 40, was originally granted custody of his children with Parker, but his custody was revoked. The children are now under the care of Parker's mother.

Smith's father, Dale Smith Sr., was questioned by police Wednesday, and his mother, Tamara Smith, spoke to police earlier.

Parker's vehicle was found abandoned the day after she disappeared, and her family initially thought she was the victim of a car jacking.

Parker was last seen wearing jeans, a Florida Gators hooded sweatshirt and a silver cross necklace. Anyone with information on here whereabouts is being urged to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.