Mom gets custody of younger kids back after custodial dad accused of killing 22-year-old son (Orlando, Florida)

Excuse me, but why did dad TIMOTHY DAVIS SR. have custody of these kids when they apparently have a competent mother? Is it because (gasp!) he is both a police officer AND a father in a state which routinely favors fathers? Such a great dad, this one. He "allegedly" killed his 22-year-old son in front of his 9-year-old daughter. And he still retains his visitation rights, though under "supervision." WTF?

http://www.wesh.com/r/29583933/detail.html

Children Removed From Ex-Officer's Home
Children To Live With Mother While Davis Remains In Custody
POSTED: 4:32 pm EDT October 25, 2011
UPDATED: 4:43 pm EDT October 25, 2011


ORLANDO, Fla. -- Two children have been removed from the home of a former Orlando police officer investigators have accused of killing his own son.

On Tuesday, a judge ordered that Timothy Davis Sr.'s youngest son and daughter live with a relative while he remains on house arrest.

Police said the 9-year-old girl was actually a witness to the death of 22-year-old Tim Davis.

Officers said she can be seen on home surveillance video, hiding behind a basketball goal during the incident.

During proceedings at juvenile court, the Department of Children and Families said the girl and her 10-year-old brother were potentially in danger.

Davis Sr. could be seen entering the court using a walker. Police said his right leg was injured in the deadly fight with his eldest son who his is charged with killing.

DCF said the Davis' younger children were taken from their Apopka home Monday after the agency received new information.

"It was information that changed the direction of our investigation it rose the level of concern a little bit about what was going on in the home and what potentially could have happened in the home," DCF spokeswoman Kristi Gray said. "We do feel like that rose to the level, it caused harm to the child. There's also a potential risk to both children."

Attorneys for both parents argued the kids need to be with their parents.

"They need to be with their father as well as their mother. They have been crying out for their father -- especially the girl. She's had these nightmares," the mother's attorney, Jane Carey, said.

Despite the lawyers' pleas, the judge found probable cause to remove the children from the home and the father.

"The mother may have care and custody of the children with supervised visitation by father," Judge Charles Prather said.

The children will stay with their mother at a relative's home while Davis remains on home confinement.

"We will be back in court and we're not finished with this at all the children need to be with their parents," Davis' attorney, Michael LaFay, said.

The children's mother, Tarsha Davis, had no comment -- nor did Davis.

The next court date regarding this case is Nov. 21 at 11 a.m.