Grandmother fights for custody - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Grandmother fights for custody

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By Cheryl Lasseter - bio | email
JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -

The Jackson grandmother of a 5-year-old girl and 20-month-old boy asked not to be identified. We'll call her Mary. She alleges that the abuse began when the girl was about 18 months old. That's when she began taking the girl to area hospitals for examination.

As the child got older, Mary says she would state, "Daddy touched my vagina". As records from Baptist Hospital indicate, in March 2010 the emergency room diagnosis was "vaginal abrasion, sexual assault". A rape kit completed during that visit had an abnormal result. No arrests were made.

Mary says she has been awarded temporary custody from the Department of Human Services on several occasions, but the parents always get the children back.

"I'm pretty sure every time they give 'em back, he go straight to her," she says. "I carried her and the infant baby to court. They asked for the mother and father to come in to meet with the judge. They never asked for me. The father came out stomping, screaming at me, calling me a ***ch, all that kinda stuff," Mary tells us.

Court records from February 2011 show that the DHS investigator recommended the custody case be dismissed "with reluctance", because of lack of history and because the child wouldn't say who, if anyone, was molesting her.

Mary says on October 13, the girl complained about abuse again, and they went back to the hospital. After that incident, Mary says she spoke to Jamie McBride in the District Attorney's office in the Hinds County court house. She says McBride walked her over to the Jackson Police Department to speak with an officer, but no officer was available.

Mary says she eventually talked to an officer by telephone, but nothing has been done. "Nobody else is helping that child, so I decided to call you to see if we can get you to help the child," she says, choking back tears. "It ain't about me. I don't want that child to have to put up with her 300 pound daddy poking at her. I don't want him trying to injure her."

3 On Your Side has called the District Attorney's office and the Hinds County Youth Court for comment on this story. 

Copyright 2011 WLBT. All rights reserved.

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