Custodial dad charged in death of 10-year-old son (Brampton, Ontario, Canada)

Dad GARFIELD BOOTHE obviously had custody of this boy, though the press--as usual--is reluctant to say so in clear terms. So what happened to the boy's mother? Is she deceased? Or did Daddy get custody through the courts? Somebody needs to do their jobs better. Whenever a custodial father is arrested for murder, you should ALWAYS question how and why he got custody and who gave it to him. Single moms--more often that not--are a default parent. Nobody challenged them for custody, so their custodial status is just a given. Dads nearly always are GRANTED custody, so when a custodial father kills a child, there's nearly ALWAYS a back story.

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110530/brampton-death-boothe-110530/20110531/?hub=TorontoNewHome

Father charged in death of 10-year-old son

A Brampton father has been charged in connection with the death of his 10-year-old son. Michelle Dube reports.

Toronto police charged the father with second-degree murder in connection with the death of his 10-year-old son on May 30, 2011.

ctvtoronto.ca

Date: Tuesday May. 31, 2011 9:45 AM ET

Police have charged a Brampton man in connection with the death of his 10-year-old son.

Shakeil Boothe, 10, was found without vital signs inside his family's home in Brampton at about 5 p.m. on Friday.

Neighbours told CTV Toronto that loud arguing was heard, and that a moving truck was seen outside the home in the Dixie Road and Queen Street East area.

Garfield Boothe, 31, has been charged with failing to provide the necessities of life.

Peel Regional police say Boothe's death is a case of abuse where legal and moral responsibilities weren't met.

"Being a parent doesn't just mean you have a moral responsibility to the person you care for. There is a legal responsibility as well to ensure their health and welfare," said Const. Adam Minnion.

Rilla Armitage, a neighbour, said that area residents were hoping Boothe's death was the result of an undiagnosed illness.

"Something nicer, as if there's a nice way to die. But it's horrific," said Armitage.

She described Boothe as a "terribly polite child" and said he lived with his father, step-mother and their eight-month-old baby. Armitage said the family kept to themselves.

Boothe was a Grade 5 student who played soccer at Hanover Road Public School before he was allegedly taken out of school by his father, according to school officials.

Results from an autopsy over the weekend will not be released to the public.

After making a court appearance on Saturday, Boothe is scheduled to make another Tuesday morning.

Anyone with more information is asked to call Peel Regional Police at (905)453-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.