Dad charged with child abuse for breaking baby's leg (Tahlequah, Oklahoma)

Okay, Dastardly readers. This is another lesson in critical reading skills.

Now I know there are some mean, nasty mamas in this world. Of course there are. But I'm not seeing the evidence (at least in this particular article) that THIS mama is one of them.

In this case, the mother was charged with "outraging public decency," and has to get a mental health evaluation and pay some fines. Hmm. Sounds like a pretty vague charge to me. Just what did this mother actually do? (And I'm going by what is written here).

Apparently this mother was holding the baby while Daddy HENREY N. CAREY was trying to yank the child away, and in the process of pulling this child away with "great force," he "allegedly" broke the baby's legs. The reporter does NOT say that the mother was engaging in like behavior. Perhaps that's why she is not charged with child abuse, just with "outraging public decency," whatever the hell that is.

Yet the reporter glibly states that THE COUPLE "were fighting over control over the baby."

Where's the evidence for this being a mutual fight? I'm not seeing it. Based on what's written, it sounds like the father was attacking this mother, and trying to violently remove her child. Of course, she's holding on tight. Any mama bear protects her young when attacked. In fact, this mother would have been roundly denounced by nearly everybody if she had passively handed over this infant to an enraged male. 'Cause we all know what enraged males do to infants. 'Nuff said.

So unless there are some important details that were left out of this story, I don't see what this mother did, other than act as a NORMAL MOTHER. So why was she charged with anything? I don't get it. Unless normal mothers are willy-nilly labeled as criminal or mentally ill these days for protecting their babies, which seems to be increasingly the case. As it is, the baby is now in state custody.

http://tahlequahdailypress.com/local/x1691795156/Man-facing-trial-on-child-abuse-charges

May 5, 2010

Man facing trial on child abuse charges
Prosecutors say the father broke the baby’s legs when yanking her away from the mother.
By BOB GIBBINS
Press Staff Writer

TAHLEQUAH — A Tahlequah man has been bound over for trial on child abuse charges.

Henrey N. Carey, 19, faces a May 6 district court arraignment before District Judge Darrell Shepherd on the charge, filed in January. Special District Judge Holli Wells ruled prosecutors showed sufficient probable cause to hold Carey for trial.

Carey is the victim’s father. The mother of the child, Amber Walker, pleaded no contest to outraging public decency in January stemming from the incident. She received a suspended one-year sentence; was ordered to pay a $500 fine and $200 victim compensation assessment; and was told to get a mental health evaluation. She also has to testify against Carey.

Tahlequah police and the Department of Human Services investigated the case, which involves a girl born Oct. 18. TPD Detective Reed Felts, the investigating officer, said at the time that evidence was found to support the assertion that the infant was injured on three separate occasions.

Investigators say the injuries were caused when Carey and Walker were fighting over control of the baby. Carey allegedly broke the infant’s legs when pulling her from Walker with great force.

The child was removed from the home and put in state custody.

Assistant District Attorney B.J. Baker is prosecuting the case, and Crystal Jackson represents Carey.