Custodial dad loses primary custody after pleading guilty to child endangerment; had left toddler in car while bar-hopping (Portsmouth, New Hampshire)

Wow. Daddy FRED KELKER is quite a piece of work. Somehow this clown gets PRIMARY CUSTODY of his two-year-old, then proceeds to pull brilliant stunts like leaving his toddler alone in a car while he goes bar-hopping--and dad has pleaded guilty to the child endangerment charge, too. His "drinking buddy" who was in the car has pleaded guilty to DUI and drug possession.

Dad has also pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman (which dad blows off as nothing more than "girl problems") while on parole for the child endangerment charges.

But you need not fear for Daddy. The judge handed down a slap on the wrist: a 12-month sentence with all but 45 days suspended and the usual "mental health treatment" nonsense.

Experts point out that even dads with histories of domestic violence get custody 70% of the time when they demand it. This case seems to be one of the many exhibits proving the point.

AND NOT A WORD ON THE MOM. Figures.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090710/NEWS/907100395/-1/NEWSMAP

Father jailed for leaving child in car
July 10, 2009
By Elizabeth Dinan
edinan@seacoastonline.com
July 10, 2009 6:00 AM

PORTSMOUTH — A Gosling Meadows dad was sentenced to jail Thursday for leaving his toddler alone in a car while he went bar-hopping.

Fred Kelker, 21, of 13 Weald Road, was brought from the Rockingham County House of Corrections to Portsmouth District Court where he pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor count of child endangerment.

Prosecutor Rena DiLando said that following Kelker's January arrest, he lost primary custody of his child and a state agency has placed conditions on his contact with the 2-year-old, including monitoring and mandated parenting classes.

In exchange for Kelker's guilty plea, Judge Sawako Gardner imposed a 12-month jail sentence, with all but 45 days suspended. The suspended time is conditional upon Kelker's good behavior, complying with all child services orders, probation for one year following his release and continued mental health treatment. He was also given 25 days credit for pretrial confinement.
Kelker also pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor count of simple assault, admitting that while he was on bail for the child endangerment charge, he assaulted a woman. During his June arraignment, he described the incident as "girl problems." For that conviction, the judge imposed an additional 12-month jail sentence, all suspended for two years providing he remains of good behavior.

"You're facing 24 months," the judge warned him.

Kelker's co-defendant, James Thomas, 28, of Dover, was found guilty Tuesday of misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated and possession of drugs in a motor vehicle.

He was fined $1,250 and his driver's license was suspended for 14 months. Thomas was intoxicated and in possession of marijuana while he drove Kelker and the child to various city bars, say police.