Sex Offender Awarded Custody of 3 Year Old

[legallee]

OMG! I watched the video. I'm in tears! I can't believe a Judge would do this!!!!
This poor lil girl. I have a 4 year old, I can't imagine her being ripped from the only home she knows...and I sure can't imagine her living in that DUMP that this poor lil girl is ordered to live in..

 

[Nova]

OMG! I watched the video. I'm in tears! I can't believe a Judge would do this!!!!
This poor lil girl. I have a 4 year old, I can't imagine her being ripped from the only home she knows...and I sure can't imagine her living in that DUMP that this poor lil girl is ordered to live in..

I've said this before on other threads, but I feel very strongly that a child should be left in the home he or she knows with the parents he or she loves UNLESS there is a compelling reason (abuse, neglect, the current parents can't care for the child) to make a move.

I'm much more concerned with what is best for the child and not all that impressed with the "rights" of DNA contributors. But in all cases except where there is abuse, "what is best for the child" is to have stability and not be wrenched from his or her family.

 

[Nova]

And there it is!

This is why WS is so full of threads on abused and murdered children.

All because of judges? That strikes me as unlikely. And as I said above, in many or even most cases, judges have guidelines they must follow. They don't get to do something just because internet posters want it done.

 

[Bobbisangel]

The letter of the law is to hand over a little girl to a sex offender? If that is the letter of the law then the law needs to be changed.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

All because of judges? That strikes me as unlikely. And as I said above, in many or even most cases, judges have guidelines they must follow. They don't get to do something just because internet posters want it done.

Because children are put in harms way over and over again by the system.

In just about every murder case we have here, the information comes out that child protection were involved beforehand.

There needs to be changes. There needs to be common sense.
There needs to be a system that works to protect the innocent.

Children are gifts. They are not treated as such in our world.

It's a shame that someone who sells drugs to adults gets more time than someone who abuses children.

JMO

 

[Annie]

All because of judges? That strikes me as unlikely. And as I said above, in many or even most cases, judges have guidelines they must follow. They don't get to do something just because internet posters want it done.

If it is just to follow guidelines you could just feed the information into a computer and the decision would be made. We would no longer need judges or lawyers. I worked as a child advocate for three years. There were reports from social services, child advocates, lawyers for the child, lawyers for the people wanting the child, home study reports, etc. The judge based it on many things. I hope a lot of study went into this case, but I have a feeling it didn't. When you know the man's history, know that he is not the actual father of the child, know that he has never been a part of this little girl's life, and especially seeing where she will be living and the woman who came to the door, I can't believe this is in the best interest of that child. And if internet posters don't take up for her, who is going to? That needs to be exposed and hopefully something done to protect this child. We can't just let things be swept under the rug, and judges or lawyers, or anyone get away with decisions that may put a child in harm's way. We may not be able to do anything, but someone must try.

 

[Camille]

That said, anyone who would allow their 14 year old to marry someone more than twice their age probably shouldn't be given custody of another little girl to raise either.

I was just about to type the same thing. Thank you for saving me from having to.

 

[CHICANA]

It's not just Florida. I am volunteering as a victim's advocate and a judge just gave custody of a 3 yr old boy to a woman's RSO ex husband. The judge said it's because the woman is home less. (She's homeless because he kicked her into the street after 5 yrs of abuse). I wish I could say more.. your jaw would drop. This case out of Florida is not surprising to me at all.

Alot of times it comes down to who has the better attorney NOT the best interests of the child.

 

[AnaTeresa]

The thing is, we don't know much about any of the parties involved in this. There are a lot of factors that the judge considers when determining custody, and we're certainly not getting a clear picture from the news reports. The media is all biased in favor of the grandmother, for one thing.

I'm hesitant to bash the judge or her decision based on a few slanted news articles. I'm more interested in seeing the court documents before deciding if I agree or not.

Plus, what really rubbed me the wrong way about the grandmother (outside the whole signing off on her fourteen year old daughter to marry the man), was a comment she made about the girl hysterically crying about the custody dispute. What is she telling her to prompt that reaction? How is she handling this issue? If she truly did care for the child, why is she causing her so much distress? Fight tooth and nail in the courts, by all means, but is it really necessary to traumatize a young child over this? It's only going to make her transition to another, if it happens, even harder on her.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

She has been with her grandmother since she was a month old. I'm sure telling her she had to go with some man she does not know brought on the tears and fear.

JMO

We have to remember this man is a RSO with a violent past.

No way this baby should be with this man.

JMO

 

[Nova]

If it is just to follow guidelines you could just feed the information into a computer and the decision would be made. We would no longer need judges or lawyers. I worked as a child advocate for three years. There were reports from social services, child advocates, lawyers for the child, lawyers for the people wanting the child, home study reports, etc. The judge based it on many things. I hope a lot of study went into this case, but I have a feeling it didn't. When you know the man's history, know that he is not the actual father of the child, know that he has never been a part of this little girl's life, and especially seeing where she will be living and the woman who came to the door, I can't believe this is in the best interest of that child. And if internet posters don't take up for her, who is going to? That needs to be exposed and hopefully something done to protect this child. We can't just let things be swept under the rug, and judges or lawyers, or anyone get away with decisions that may put a child in harm's way. We may not be able to do anything, but someone must try.

What I questioned is whether judges were the sole or even primary cause of the problem, but Kimberly clarified that she meant the child protection system as a whole.

And I wasn't saying internet posters shouldn't protest unwise placements of children, just that judges have laws to follow and can't always base rulings on public outrage. As other posters have noted, the grandmother's judgment is questionable and there doesn't seem to be any perfect option in this case.

Personally, I'd leave the child where she is (i.e., with the grandmother) and change the law that allows anyone to marry at 14. But the judge has to follow the laws of Florida as currently written.

 

[Annie]

The thing is, we don't know much about any of the parties involved in this. There are a lot of factors that the judge considers when determining custody, and we're certainly not getting a clear picture from the news reports. The media is all biased in favor of the grandmother, for one thing.

I'm hesitant to bash the judge or her decision based on a few slanted news articles. I'm more interested in seeing the court documents before deciding if I agree or not.

Plus, what really rubbed me the wrong way about the grandmother (outside the whole signing off on her fourteen year old daughter to marry the man), was a comment she made about the girl hysterically crying about the custody dispute. What is she telling her to prompt that reaction? How is she handling this issue? If she truly did care for the child, why is she causing her so much distress? Fight tooth and nail in the courts, by all means, but is it really necessary to traumatize a young child over this? It's only going to make her transition to another, if it happens, even harder on her.

Part of that was filmed before the child was turned over, but if you look at the video to the end, it has already happened. She had to tell her something. The man was coming to get the child. I think any child might cry if they found out they had to leave the only home they have ever known to go live with a strange man. He is not her dad. He had sex with a fourteen year old when he was much older to start this out. Her mother left him in 2005, long before she was conceived, but didn't get a divorce. He filed for the divorce because she was pregnant by another man. I see no justification at all for that man getting that little girl.

 

[AnaTeresa]

Part of that was filmed before the child was turned over, but if you look at the video to the end, it has already happened. She had to tell her something. The man was coming to get the child. I think any child might cry if they found out they had to leave the only home they have ever known to go live with a strange man. He is not her dad. He had sex with a fourteen year old when he was much older to start this out. Her mother left him in 2005, long before she was conceived, but didn't get a divorce. He filed for the divorce because she was pregnant by another man. I see no justification at all for that man getting that little girl.

Yes, you do have to tell the child something. But what you tell the child and the manner in which you tell the child are quite important. While it's normal to be upset, I'm a bit wary of the manner in which is was done to produce "hysteria." It would be inappropriate, for example, for the grandmother to say all sorts of terrible things about him to the child and basically poison the child against him. To make him out as a bogeyman and make their separation even more traumatic. You see this in custody disputes with divorced parents as well. Is it truly in the best interest of the child to make a big change even more traumatic?

Upset is normal. "Hysteria" is eyebrow raising. Either the grandmother was exaggerating the child's reaction for a dramatic story, or she's playing a part in stirring up that hysteria.

 

[momtective]

Isn't there something we can do? Would a petition on change.org help? If there is already a petition someone please point me in the right direction to sign it.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Yes, you do have to tell the child something. But what you tell the child and the manner in which you tell the child are quite important. While it's normal to be upset, I'm a bit wary of the manner in which is was done to produce "hysteria." It would be inappropriate, for example, for the grandmother to say all sorts of terrible things about him to the child and basically poison the child against him. To make him out as a bogeyman and make their separation even more traumatic. You see this in custody disputes with divorced parents as well. Is it truly in the best interest of the child to make a big change even more traumatic?

Upset is normal. "Hysteria" is eyebrow raising. Either the grandmother was exaggerating the child's reaction for a dramatic story, or she's playing a part in stirring up that hysteria.

If I had to tell my child a man she didn't know was coming to get her to live in his house, I'd expect hysteria.

I think it's totally normal.

JMO

 

[ohiogirl]

Bio dad, you have to man up here and do something.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Bio dad, you have to man up here and do something.

I think he is. I think I read somewhere he is trying.

 

[WillenFan21]

They are talking to the Grandmother on HLN right now.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Looking for updates and found this:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/...-Baker-County-Judge-Today-on-Contempt-Charges

M.W.'s Grandmother before Baker County Judge Today on Contempt Charges
11:05 PM, Aug 10, 2011

BAKER COUNTY, Fla. -- There's a new twist in the battle over M.W.

The child's grandmother, Rita Manning, appeared before Baker County Judge Phyllis Rosier this afternoon on a contempt of court charge.

The Facebook messages note that Manning is in trouble because she spoke to the media about her granddaughter

Last week, Manning told First Coast News the judge ordered everyone involved in the adoption of the 4-year-old to not speak out. She said the warning was issued a day after her granddaughter's story aired on First Coast News.

Last week, M's biological dad, James Wilkerson, filed a petition to establish his rights as the child's father.

 

[AnaTeresa]

I don't think anyone in this cast of characters should have custody. Not impressed with any of them. M.W. deserves better than this.