Custodial dad arrested after 2-year-old son placed on life support (Stockton, California)

Kudos to reporter Leigh Paynter for covering this story. Most of the time, the backstory to these abuse cases is totally ignored. Not this time. Now we find out that a case we started following just recently involved not just an abusive father, but an abusive father who OBTAINED FULL CUSTODY despite a history of domestic violence. We also see how the protective mother was charged with felony kidnapping for trying to protect the child, and ultimately "reunited" with the abuser dad in order to try to protect the child. For her trouble, she was regularly assaulted while the authorities continued to ignore her pleas. This happens way more often than the mainstream press lets on.

The dad is identified as TUSHAMBI EVANS.

http://centralstockton.news10.net/news/crime/95664-2-year-old-life-support-after-fathers-abuse

2-year-old on life support after father's abuse

Submitted by Leigh Paynter, News10 San Joaquin Valley Reporter

Saturday, March 24th, 2012, 6:45pm

STOCKTON, CA - A 2-year-old boy is on life support after he was severely beaten by his own father, according to Stockton police.

The boy's mother said she had been warning law enforcement and the court system for months that she and her son were being abused.

Friday night, Oakland police notified the Stockton Police Department that a child arrived at Oakland Children's Hospital with life threatening injuries and the father's story was suspicious.

Stockton police arrested the boy's father, Tushambi Evans, 28, and charged him with felony child abuse. Evans was arrested at a home on the 500 block of 6th Street where his wife said she and her son endured months of physical abuse.

"The baby would sit right here, he'd feed him, but the baby would throw it up and he's pick up the throw up and make the baby eat it," mother Jamela Evans said.

Jamela Evans said she's known her husband since the sixth grade, but the abuse started after their son, Tushambi Evans Jr, was born. Jamela Evans said she left her husband last May, but through legal actions, he ended up with full custody of their son.

Jamela Evans said she ran off with her son once, but was arrested for felony child kidnapping.

She moved from their home in Vallejo to Stockton, but invited Tushambi Evans and their son to come back and live with her. She said the abuse started to escalate in recent weeks.

"He was slapping the baby, hitting the baby on the back, dropping the baby on his head, throwing him against the wall like he was a doll," Jamela Evans said. "It started getting worse and worse. If I was to intervene in what he was doing, I'd get jumped on. I'm bruised up right now from him jumping on me."

Jamela Evans showed a bruise on her chin she claims is from being punched by Tushambi Evans.

According to Jamela Evans, her husband found out that she was secretly recording his abuse Thursday night and attacked her. She said she ran to a neighbor for help, but Tushambi Evans took off with her car and her son. It wasn't until Saturday morning that she learned what happened to her little boy.

"I was told that my son was dead when he arrived at the hospital, but that doctors revived him," Jamela Evans said. "He's now on life support, but may have brain damage."

She said she's praying her son survives his injuries and grieves for not being able to protect him.

"I hope he doesn't hate me. I hope he doesn't think his mama didn't want him," Jamela Evans said. "He's probably wondering why he's not with his mama."

Tushambi Evans was booked in San Joaquin County Jail. Jamela Evans' other children are in custody of Child Protective Services while the investigation continues.