Killler Dads and Custody Lists

Friday, May 1, 2015

Three-year-old boy tests positive for cocaine while "in the custody of his father" (Rock Hill, South Carolina)

Yet another example of media ambiguity. While "in the custody of his father"--what does this mean? Dad was supposed to be supervising? Or that this was a court-ordered custody/visitation situation? And notice that there is no mention of a mother being arrested for "allowing" cocaine in the home. In fact there is no mention of a mother at all.

Dad is identified as MATTHEW TYLER EPPS.

http://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/crime/article19801464.html

Crime April 28, 2015

Police arrest Rock Hill dad after son tests positive for cocaine

By staff reports - The Herald -

A Rock Hill father is charged with child neglect after his 3-year-old son tested positive for cocaine, police say.

The Department of Social Services notified local law enforcement in March after the child was hospitalized for a reported head injury. The boy was disoriented, but didn’t have any head trauma, according to a Rock Hill Police report.

Detectives say that hospital officials reported that the boy ingested the cocaine when he was in the custody of his father, around March 12.

After a month-long investigation, warrants were issued for Matthew Tyler Epps, age 27, police records show. Epps has been charged with unlawful conduct toward a child.

Rock Hill Police arrested Epps on Monday, according to booking records.

By Tuesday morning, he was being held at the Moss Justice Detention Center in York on a $4,000 bond.