Non-custodial mom finally reunited with abused 5-year-old son; custodial dad banned her from seeing him while he starved boy, beat him, and kept him locked up (Houston, Texas)

It's typical in these kinds of cases that the non-custodial mother is never mentioned at all. So it's good to see some effort to report her side of the story.

However, there are still many unanswered questions here.

1) How did a father like BRADLEY BLEIMEYER, a man with "a string of prior convictions" get custody to start with? Especially one who was currently on bond for a burglary? Who gave it to him? What is the name of the judge? Who else supported this decision? Will they be held accountable?

2) As so often happens in these cases, the mother was shut off from all contact with the abuse victim. Who dropped the ball in terms of enforcing her visitation? Why didn't the authorities intervene, and use this as a reason to return custody to the mother? Mothers who deny visitation routinely lose custody. Why didn't that happen here? Is this another case of fathers rights infiltration/influence in the family courts/criminal justice system?

3) Did this father have a previous record of domestic violence/child abuse among those "prior convictions"? How about assault and battery or other violent crime? Who decided this was not relevant to report?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2595523/Biological-mom-reunited-son-starved-beaten.html

'It was like giving birth again': Biological mom speaks out about being reunited with her 5-year-old son after he was 'drugged, starved, beaten and locked under the stairs by his father and stepmother for a YEAR'

Windy Hall said her son was scared every time she left the room and kept looking around for someone to take his food away

Grandmother said boy was drugged and fed just a piece of bread and water each day The boy's stepmother

Tammie Bleimeyer claimed the 5-year-old had not lived at her Texas home since last summer

She said on Tuesday: 'I don’t know what caused him to look like that. I don’t know if it’s a health issue or something else like that'

Tammi, who is six months' pregnant, has been charged with child endangerment along with boy's father Bradley

By Louise Boyle

Published: 16:44 EST, 2 April 2014 | Updated: 17:31 EST, 2 April 2014

The biological mother of a five-year-old boy who was found severely malnourished and covered in bruises revealed her relief today at being reunited with her son after the child's father banned her from seeing him.

Windy Hall also told of the shocking abuse that her son had allegedly suffered at the hands of his father Bradley Bleimeyer, 24, and 33-year-old stepmother Tammie Bleimeyer.

The little boy, who weighs just 29lb, told his mom and grandmother that he was padlocked in a closet under the stairs at the Texas home. He was given just a piece of bread and a cup of water or milk each day and fed drugs when visitors came to the house to keep him quiet.

Windy Hall told KHOU today: 'It was the most amazing thing. It was like giving birth again, it was amazing, he knew who I was. I tried not to cry, I have to be strong for him.'

She said that her son, who remains in Texas Children's Hospital, has eaten spaghetti and a grilled cheese.

However she said that he constantly looks around him when he's eating like someone is going to take the food away.

The little boy's grandmother Jacqueline Hall said he has told her that he was given drugs to keep him quiet and wasn't allowed to eat at the dinner table with his other siblings, who are the children of his stepmother Tammi Bleimeyer.

Miss Hall believes that her son was kept in these conditions for about a year.

She said that every time she leaves the room, her son looks up in alarm and she has to remind him that she's coming back.

A custody hearing will be held on April 21.

On Tuesday, the victim's pregnant stepmother claimed to be unaware of his horrific condition because she had not seen him with his shirt off recently.

Mother-of-six Tammie Bleimeyer, 33, and her husband Bradley, 24, were charged with felony child endangerment this weekend after allegedly keeping the little boy locked under the stairs.

Tammie claims that she never mistreated the child and that she and her husband separated last summer.

Her ex no longer lives at her home in Spring, Texas, Tammie Bleimeyer said, but took his five-year-old son to live in Alabama. Mrs Bleimeyer filed for divorce on Tuesday from her husband of two years.

Tammie Bleimeyer told KHOU on Tuesday: 'I was shocked. I have never seen him look like that and I have never seen him with his shirt off recently.'

However she doesn't necessarily believe that her estranged husband caused the child's condition.

The 33-year-old added: 'I don’t know what caused him to look like that. I don’t know if it’s a health issue or something else like that. I don’t want to be like everyone else and assume the worse.'

Police discovered a locked closet with a mattress at the Bleimeyer home after being called following a disturbance last Thursday between Bradley Bleimeyer and his 16-year-old stepson.

The teenager raised the alarm and told police he had found his five-year-old stepbrother in a diaper under the stairs.

The stepmother denied that the boy was kept under the stairs but had a room and slept in a bunk bed.

However she admitted that the child could have fitted under the stairs.

She also said that her 16-year-old son was lying because he did not respect his stepfather Bradley, who is only eight years older than him.

The child's stepmother Tammie Bleimeyer had reportedly fled the home with the boy before officers arrived, according to click2houston.

Bleimeyer, who is six months' pregnant, refused to return to the home when contacted by police.

She was tracked to a motel in Humble by her cellphone where she was found with the boy.

The pregnant 33-year-old told KHOU that she did not flee with the child but had simply gone to get pizza and that her husband was staying at the motel.

His frail body was photographed covered in bumps and bruises with a deep cut on his right shoulder.

Tammie Bleimeyer was charged with endangering a child and released on $2,000 bond.

Bradley Bleimeyer, who was already out on bond for a burglary charge, was also charged with endangering a child.

The 24-year-old, who has spent time in jail and has string of prior convictions, is being held without bond.

Bradley Bleimeyer is the biological father of the five-year-old. His expectant wife is the biological mother of six children including the 16-year-old boy.

All the children are being cared for by other family members. The health of the other children is currently unknown.

MailOnline was awaiting a comment from Harris County Precinct 4 officers.

A hearing is yet to be scheduled for the Bleimeyers.