Unfit to Have Reproduced
Two Stanley, North Carolina, parents are facing misdemeanor child abuse charges after police say they recorded a video of their 11-month old son blindfolded running into walls and falling down face first. The alleged incident occurred on January 22.
A 15-year-old witness reported the pair to police after seeing the child run into walls several times before his parents started filming. Police Detective J.L. Abernethy said both parents admitted to the actions seen on the video "but stated that it was all in fun and no injuries occurred."
“That video is just a little playing,” Amber Lynn Burgess, 19, said. “Everybody does stuff with their kids. He was having fun, too. He was laughing.” She adds, “He only fell one time and he only fell on his hands and knees." Both parents say the police blew the video out of proportion.
The boy's father, Delmer Doss, also 19, said he and his girlfriend were only playing with the child. “Amber was on the other side of the room and we wanted to see if he could follow the voice and go over to her,” he said.
Police say they created the video because it was funny to the parents, and that the incident created a substantial risk of injury to the child.
Neither Doss nor Burgess currently work, though Burgess said she sells Avon. Doss is currently under house arrest related to a 2007 incident where he was shot while attempting to break into a car. House arrest makes it hard to find work, he says. Apparently there's lots of time to take videos of toddler's playing Blind Man's Bluff.
Both parents have upcoming, unrelated court dates. Doss is due in court February 26 on charges of shoplifting and consuming alcohol while under 21. Burgess will be seen in court on March 30, facing charges of possessing a controlled substance in jail, consuming alcohol while under 21, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Burgess and Doss were released on unsecured bonds, and the child remains in Burgess's custody.
Mom:
Dad:
Lucky kid, eh?
Source: Gaston Gazette
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Most Recent Comments
Posted by Bob in Illinois on February 23, 2010:
OK, lets get a grip here. While I will admit these two are not fit for parenthood but only because they have already made a mess of their own lives. The fact that the child was not taken from the home clearly says that they really don't have much of a case for anything other than 'we will hold this over your head later'. This is a prime example where law enforcement has probably overplayed it and just another reason why I got out of law enforcement almost 30 years ago. As Joseph in Wisconsin pointed out they do this and worse on "America's Funniest Home Videos" where I have seen people that did get hurt if only minor injuries. I think we need to stop criminalizing everything people do. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.
Posted by Debbie-Montrose, CA on February 23, 2010:
Passing on to the next generation the legacy of having their last words be "Hey, watch this."
Posted by Mel, Oakland,CA on April 1, 2010:
Looks like these two have hit the wall a few times themselves.