Father awarded temporary custody of Jada's siblings
* Slain toddler's dad will have two sons for summer, pending second hearing
July 16, 2009
By Andy Grimm, Post-Tribune staff writer
VALPARAISO -- Jada Justice's father will take temporary, partial custody of his two sons.
A Porter County Juvenile Court judge on Wednesday awarded Clarence Justice custody of his sons, ages 1 and 6, with Melissa Swiontek.
Swiontek, whose cousin, Engelica Castillo is charged in the murder of 2-year-old Jada, declined comment on the hearing, saying only that Justice would have custody of the two boys "for the rest of the summer" pending a second hearing, and that she would still have partial custody of the boys.
The Post-Tribune was unable to reach attorneys for Swiontek and Justice, and calls to Clarence Justice were not returned.
Both Justice and Swiontek live in Portage.
The couple never married and split a year ago without setting a formal custody agreement, she said, though Justice paid child support and would often take custody of the boys and Jada on alternate weekends.
Swiontek left 2-year-old Jada in the care of her 18-year-old cousin, Castillo, June 8, when Lake County prosecutors allege she beat Jada to death, then tried with her boyfriend, Timothy Tkachik, to get rid of the body and tell police the girl disappeared from her car while she was buying milk and cigarettes at a Gary gas station
http://www.post-trib.com/news/1668006,jada.article