Abuse claimed in child custody battle

Started by woof, Dec 08, 2005, 06:33 PM

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woof

Quote
http://2theadvocate.com/stories/120705/new_custodyabuse001.shtml

By ELLEN TANDY
[email protected]
2theadvocate.com staff
From a report by News 2's Ken Pastorick [email protected]

Should custody or visitation rights be awarded to a man booked with beating his 6-year-old son? After the death of the child's mother last year, an East Baton Rouge Parish judge ordered his grandmother and his father to share custody until both sides return to court next week.

Since the death of his mother, the boy has been living with his grandmother, Linda Nelson. The child's father, Kevin Jerome Spears Sr. landed in jail two weeks ago, charged with aggravated second degree battery of his child.

Spears is still allowed visitations rights per a court order which specifies that "visitation shall continue on a seven-day period for each party, there shall be no corporal punishment with either party."

Nelson said she is frustrated with the entire situation. She contends that Spears should never be allowed to see his son, and she points to alleged abuse as the reason.

Police reports say investigators found bruises all over the child's backside, and Nelson said she discovered the bruises when she brought her grandson to the emergency room for a fever. Doctors observed the boy and determined the bruises could have been the result of child abuse, and they notified the Department of Social Services.

"He told the doctor his dad had whipped him for wetting the bed," Nelson explained.

Nelson said that, a month after she was told that the case would be investigated, Judge Toni Higginbotham ordered joint custody and stipulated "no corporal punishment" should be administered to the child.

Department of Social Services Assistant Secretary Marketa Gautreau said that the case is closed. She also said it's not uncommon to have child abuse allegations in a custody battle.

Judge Higginbotham said she is not allowed to comment on pending cases, and Spears' attorney also declined to comment. The custody case returns to court next Tuesday.

As reported Dec. 7 on News 2 Louisiana. If you have information or comments related to this story, e-mail them to [email protected].



Common sense prevails.....although I am not an advocate for corporal punishment, I don't consider it child abuse either. No reason to remove the father from his sons life for parenting skills that he learned from his parents.
Quote
Department of Social Services Assistant Secretary Marketa Gautreau said that the case is closed. She also said it's not uncommon to have child abuse allegations in a custody battle.
Even a whole village can't replace dad, children need both parents.

Mistress MRA

I suffered "child abuse" myself when I was a child  :roll:

Of course, back then, it was simply called 'punishment', and considered the correct way to raise a child.

Never thought A parent could go to jail over it.

devia

Bruising his kid for wetting the bed?

I'd say this family needs help. Quick.

CaptDMO

Quote
Nelson said she is frustrated with the entire situation. She contends that Spears should never be allowed to see his son, and she points to alleged abuse as the reason.

Spears is still allowed visitations rights per a court order which specifies that "visitation shall continue on a seven-day period for each party, there shall be no corporal punishment with either party."


Gee, I'd like to think what Ellen Tandy-staff- 2TheAdvocate, Baton Rouge, LA. - meant to write was
"Nelson said she is frustrated with the  situation. Despite her contention that Mr. Spears should never be allowed to see his son, and  pointing to alleged abuse as the reason, per court order....Mr. Spears can see his son."

I wonder how the origional report from  News 2's Ken Pastorick went?

whome112

Quote from: "devia"
Bruising his kid for wetting the bed?

I'd say this family needs help. Quick.


Yes, I'd say you are right. Punishment for bedwetting is WRONG, big time wrong. Bruising a kid is child abuse, not punishment.

I wet the bed 'till I was twelve. I suffered through endless humiliation for it. My parents were WRONG! WRONG in capital and flaming letters. This man too is wrong.

Help for the family is needed in the form of education in how to raise a child.

whome
ay what you mean: Mean what you say.
http://jwwells.blogspot.com

woof

Quote from: "whome112"
Quote from: "devia"
Bruising his kid for wetting the bed?

I'd say this family needs help. Quick.


Yes, I'd say you are right. Punishment for bedwetting is WRONG, big time wrong. Bruising a kid is child abuse, not punishment.

I wet the bed 'till I was twelve. I suffered through endless humiliation for it. My parents were WRONG! WRONG in capital and flaming letters. This man too is wrong.

Help for the family is needed in the form of education in how to raise a child.

whome


I agree with both of you, devia and whome, that this father needs help, and that spanking this boy for bed wetting is wrong. Though I would draw the line at defining this as abuse.
Think about it.
Should this father go to prison for child abuse?
Should he have his parental rights taken away, and not be allowed to see his son without supervision?
Even a whole village can't replace dad, children need both parents.

The Biscuit Queen

I hate to say it, but bruising your child, unless said child is one of those rare children who bruise when you look at them, is really over the top, in my opinion.

Especially if you look at this severe of punishment for wetting the bed, then what will he do if the child lies, or steals, etc.

On the other hand, if the state has the right to tell parents how to discipline, that opens another can of worms, given the politically correct, permissive, and paranoid leanings of the government. Then you have a spank equal child abuse.

Maybe it is just better to let a few extreme cases go for the greater good, since not disciplining at all is equally as abusive as over disciplining.
he Biscuit Queen
www.thebiscuitqueen.blogspot.com

There are always two extremes....the truth lies in the middle.

whome112

Quote from: "woof"
I agree with both of you, devia and whome, that this father needs help, and that spanking this boy for bed wetting is wrong. Though I would draw the line at defining this as abuse.
Think about it.
Should this father go to prison for child abuse?
Should he have his parental rights taken away, and not be allowed to see his son without supervision?


I doubt this is punishable child abuse. If it did cross the line, then yes, he should spend time in the can. Mind you, I doubt it is a punishable case.

That said, we cannot have parents using TOO MUCH force. We've defined too much as bruising and so he must stop. I would guess that a bit of time with a reputable social worker can fix the problem.

I'm generally against using force on a child. Yes, even spanking. If non-physical discipline is not doign the job, then the parent has not done their job. I wish we would spend some real money training parents in basic skills.

whome
ay what you mean: Mean what you say.
http://jwwells.blogspot.com

aknapp1112

i have spanked my kids twice in there life. was not for a punishment, i dont think that works most of the time. When i did it, it was not for punixhment, it was to get there attention. As most of us with kids know, sometimes little ones can get really carried away, and with that one flick on the backside, got there attention, they listened to me and problem was solved.

Quentin0352

The questions I have to ask are if that is the real events or not. Sorry but I KNOW kids will lie about things if pressured and if the grandmother had pressured the child to lie and cover HER spanking the child it could be the wrong one we are targeting. With the way they go after men at the slightest hint of abuse, it is strange that the judge continued to allow the visitation and that he hasn't been prosecuted. Then again, why it is news at all? We see the reverse where women abuse kids and the courts do nothing about it and I know the local TV and news has refused to even look at it here though there is ample proof.

If it is true, the father should be restricted to supervised visitation and parental classes at the least if not charged and convicted. If it turns out to be a custody game then the grandmother should be charged and nailed too.

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