Dad charged with abusing 29-day-old infant son during visitation; mom loses custody to DSS (Hendersonville, North Carolina)

We see this over and over again. Young fathers (i.e. sperm donors) who were never married to the mother of the child and with no real evidence of family commitment (i.e. "relationship" didn't even last through the pregnancy) getting visitation anyway. It's usually not clear in newspaper articles like this whether this visitation is court-ordered or at the mother's discretion. But "discretion" doesn't mean much when mothers routinely lose their custodial rights for appearing "uncooperative" or "unwilling" to "co-parent" with someone who may never been much more than a fling.

Combine that with 1) the hot-headed testosterone of youth; and 2) lack of experience with newborns (i.e. "frustration") and you have a seriously dangerous and unstable situation.

Notice that Mom has lost custody to DSS even though the abuse was apparently committed by the father and at his home. This is a pattern we often see. Fathers are virtually NEVER held accountable for leaving the kids with a mentally ill/addicted/abusive mother, girlfriend, or step. Mothers, on the other hand, nearly always are. Even when they were battered and threatened themselves. Or even when the abuse took place during Daddy's visitation.

This mother dutifully reported the abuse to DSS only to lose the baby to the same. So much for being responsible.

Daddy is this case is identified as ANTHONY GENE TAYLOR.

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20120321/ARTICLES/120329947?tc=ar

Hendersonville man charged with abusing infant
From staff reports

Published: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office has charged a Hendersonville man with felony child abuse inflicting serious injury after a 29-day-old baby boy suffered multiple fractures and external bruising in February.

Detectives arrested Anthony Gene Taylor, 21, of 51 Bobcat Lane, Hendersonville, today on the charge, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office. The charge stemmed from a report by Henderson County DSS and subsequent investigation by the Sheriff's Office.

Taylor is the child's father, according to Capt. Frank Stout.

Stout did not know the child's condition. He said the child's mother reported the abuse to DSS after the infant had a visit with Taylor. Stout could not comment on the couple's relationship status, but said they had “parted ways” soon after the child was born.

The child is in the custody of DSS.

Taylor was in jail for a probation violation when he was charged Wednesday, Stout said.

According to N.C. Department of Justice records, Taylor was convicted of shoplifting and larceny on July 8, 2011. Records show the shoplifting offense took place on May 7, 2011 and the larceny occurred May 12, 2011. Stout said Taylor's probation was revoked in February and he was sentenced to jail time.

Taylor is being held on $150,000 bond for the child abuse charge and is scheduled for a first appearance in court Thursday.