Dad charged with getting 9-year-old daughter drunk during child visitation (Augusta, Georgia)

The 9-year-old daughter was apparently on her visitation time with Dad JEFFERY DEAN HICKSON, when she called her mother at 11 PM, and asked to be picked up IMMEDIATELY. The mother had the police accompany her to the father's house (I get the impression that maybe this wasn't the first weird thing that Daddy had done, given that he has a suspended license and all).

When they got there, Daddy was tootling his way home in the car, drunk as a skunk. And so was the 9-year-old. A 5-year-old half sister (from another relationship of Daddy's no less) had apparently not indulged. Maybe she was supposed to be the designated driver, but couldn't reach the pedals. Who knows.

Daddy has been charged with possession of marijuana, driving under the influence, child endangerment, driving with license suspended or revoked, suspended vehicle registration, no insurance coverage, and cruelty to children in the 2nd degree.

So why the hell did this guy have visitation rights? What's more, will he keep them despite this latest little escapade?

http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-06-03/dad-charged-getting-9-year-old-drunk?v=1275562615

Dad charged with getting 9-year-old drunk
By Bianca Cain
Staff Writer
Thursday, June 3, 2010 10:52 AM
Last updated 10:57 AM

Richmond County officers arrested an Augusta father Wednesday and charged him with intoxicating his 9-year-old daughter.

The mother, Francis Harris, told police she got a call around 11 p.m. from her daughter asking her to be picked up from her father's immediately. When Harris and officers arrived, they met Jeffery Deon Hickson, 39, driving up with his daughter and a 5-year-old child from another relationship, according to an incident report.

Police said both the 9-year-old and Hickson were intoxicated. The 9-year-old had a blood-alcohol content of 0.165 and the father's registered a 0.23, police said.

The child was taken to Medical College of Georgia Hospital.

Hickson has been charged with possession of marijuana, driving under the influence, child endangerment, driving with license suspended or revoked, suspended vehicle registration, no insurance coverage and cruelty to children in the second degree, police said.