4th degree assault, 4th degree child abuse

[chinadoll032403]

Kentucky

My husband physically disciplined his niece that we have custody of for 3 years with a belt. For the first time ever he left marks. He sent her to school the next morning and let me sleep in. That afternoon social workers showed up and said that they received a call from a concerned teacher at school. I hadn't seen the marks. I assumes it was hand prints. The social worker took her into the room to get pictures of the bruises. I started crying and she said, "Ma'am you haven't seen these yet have you?" I said, "No... he let me sleep in this morning and got them ready for school. I knew he busted her butt last night and we fought about it. I was upset and went to our room to put away clothes after she got her bath and went to bed." He deserves what he gets... but they are charging me as well. I didn't touch her! He told the judge he did it, and I never laid a hand on her. The judge gave me a court appointed attorney, but told my husband to come back with me and speak to the prosecutor. He collects disability and it is the only income me and the children have. If he goes to jail for more than 30 days consecutively he can lose his check. Is there a way he can do weekends in jail to serve out the time, and pay a fine? Or does he have to do the whole thing and leave us in a bind? What about my charges? There isn't any evidence I touched her, and the hand prints across her behind are huge compared to my small hands. Can I pull an OJ and say the glove doesn't fit??? We have our second court date in 5 hours.

 

[Momto1]

Kentucky

My husband physically disciplined his niece that we have custody of for 3 years with a belt. For the first time ever he left marks. He sent her to school the next morning and let me sleep in. That afternoon social workers showed up and said that they received a call from a concerned teacher at school. I hadn't seen the marks. I assumes it was hand prints. The social worker took her into the room to get pictures of the bruises. I started crying and she said, "Ma'am you haven't seen these yet have you?" I said, "No... he let me sleep in this morning and got them ready for school. I knew he busted her butt last night and we fought about it. I was upset and went to our room to put away clothes after she got her bath and went to bed." He deserves what he gets... but they are charging me as well. I didn't touch her! He told the judge he did it, and I never laid a hand on her. The judge gave me a court appointed attorney, but told my husband to come back with me and speak to the prosecutor. He collects disability and it is the only income me and the children have. If he goes to jail for more than 30 days consecutively he can lose his check. Is there a way he can do weekends in jail to serve out the time, and pay a fine? Or does he have to do the whole thing and leave us in a bind? What about my charges? There isn't any evidence I touched her, and the hand prints across her behind are huge compared to my small hands. Can I pull an OJ and say the glove doesn't fit??? We have our second court date in 5 hours.

That's your FIRST Questions?!?! And your charges are most likely going to be child endangerment since she is in your custody also and you are letting this happen to her

Hopefully you loose everything including this child and spend some time in jail because that is where you belong.

 

[mistoffolees]

First, to make it clear, if there were hand marks and belt marks visible the next day, it wasn't 'discipline'. It was clear abuse. You have to hit a kid pretty hard to leave hand marks which show up a day later (I know because my father disciplined us with a belt and as much as it hurt, we NEVER had marks).

Your post implies that this is fairly common practice and you have never done anything about it. That makes you an accomplice - at best. Anyone who tolerates the abuse of a child is equally guilty.

Just in case you do manage to get out of this:

1. Get a job. Worrying about money should be the LAST of your concerns right now.
2. Abuse is never OK. Even if you're not the one doing it, if you witness abuse, call CPS.

 

[stealth2]

Kentucky

My husband physically disciplined his niece that we have custody of for 3 years with a belt. For the first time ever he left marks. He sent her to school the next morning and let me sleep in. That afternoon social workers showed up and said that they received a call from a concerned teacher at school. I hadn't seen the marks. I assumes it was hand prints. The social worker took her into the room to get pictures of the bruises. I started crying and she said, "Ma'am you haven't seen these yet have you?" I said, "No... he let me sleep in this morning and got them ready for school. I knew he busted her butt last night and we fought about it. I was upset and went to our room to put away clothes after she got her bath and went to bed." He deserves what he gets... but they are charging me as well. I didn't touch her! He told the judge he did it, and I never laid a hand on her. The judge gave me a court appointed attorney, but told my husband to come back with me and speak to the prosecutor. He collects disability and it is the only income me and the children have. If he goes to jail for more than 30 days consecutively he can lose his check. Is there a way he can do weekends in jail to serve out the time, and pay a fine? Or does he have to do the whole thing and leave us in a bind? What about my charges? There isn't any evidence I touched her, and the hand prints across her behind are huge compared to my small hands. Can I pull an OJ and say the glove doesn't fit??? We have our second court date in 5 hours.

This has to be one of the more amazing posts I've read in a long time.

Let's be honest. You didn't cry because the child was obviously abused. Yuo cried because y'all got caught. You may not have laid a hand on her, but you KNOW this is not the first time your husband has been abusive. You have no concern for the child - only yourself. Whether you'll go to jail (you both should). Whether you'll get his disability.

Frankly, ALL of the children in your home should be removed and placed with people who will actually care for them. Both of you should sit behind bars for a while to think about how you've traumatized those children. And when you get out/if you manage to avoid jail time? GET A JOB and support yourself. And don't DARE bring any more kids into your lives.

Sorry, but I have no sympathy for anyone who abuses - or allows another to abuse - a child. Disgusting.

 

[LdiJ]

I share everyone else's disgust with this situation.

I do however want to point out that people with very fair skin can show marks that would not exist at all on other people, whereas people with darker skin might not ever show marks. Therefore, you cannot always say that a lack of marks means a lack of abuse, or the existence of marks automatically means abuse.

However, I think its pretty obvious that OP has been neglecting this child and her husband has been abusing this child.

 

[mistoffolees]

I do however want to point out that people with very fair skin can show marks that would not exist at all on other people, whereas people with darker skin might not ever show marks. Therefore, you cannot always say that a lack of marks means a lack of abuse, or the existence of marks automatically means abuse.

LACK of a mark might not mean 'no abuse', but if there's a full day later, that's pretty good evidence of abuse - no matter how fair your skin.

 

[stealth2]

We're not talking about all situations, LDi. We're talking about this ONE situation. She KNEW he crossed a line. She KNEW! They fought about it!

Kentucky

My husband physically disciplined his niece that we have custody of for 3 years with a belt. For the first time ever he left marks. He sent her to school the next morning and let me sleep in. That afternoon social workers showed up and said that they received a call from a concerned teacher at school. I hadn't seen the marks. I assumes it was hand prints. The social worker took her into the room to get pictures of the bruises. I started crying and she said, "Ma'am you haven't seen these yet have you?" I said, "No... he let me sleep in this morning and got them ready for school. I knew he busted her butt last night and we fought about it. I was upset and went to our room to put away clothes after she got her bath and went to bed." He deserves what he gets... but they are charging me as well. I didn't touch her! He told the judge he did it, and I never laid a hand on her. The judge gave me a court appointed attorney, but told my husband to come back with me and speak to the prosecutor. He collects disability and it is the only income me and the children have. If he goes to jail for more than 30 days consecutively he can lose his check. Is there a way he can do weekends in jail to serve out the time, and pay a fine? Or does he have to do the whole thing and leave us in a bind? What about my charges? There isn't any evidence I touched her, and the hand prints across her behind are huge compared to my small hands. Can I pull an OJ and say the glove doesn't fit??? We have our second court date in 5 hours.

And all she's worried about is the income she's going to lose if he goes to jail.

 

[LdiJ]

We're not talking about all situations, LDi. We're talking about this ONE situation. She KNEW he crossed a line. She KNEW! They fought about it!



And all she's worried about is the income she's going to lose if he goes to jail.

Oh I absolutely know and I absolutely agree. I just made that comment for the sake of others who might read this thread.

 

[Hot Topic]

She knew hubby abused the child, but hubby let her "sleep in." That, of course, makes up for a lot of things.