Posted on 12/21/2007 7:42:48 AM PST by Abathar
NEW CASTLE, Ind. -- A foster father who pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct after he impregnated a 15-year-old girl who had been placed in his home was sentenced to five years of probation.
Darrin K. Reid, 37, will spend three of those years on electronic monitoring under terms of the plea agreement approved this week by Henry Circuit Judge Mary Willis.
Willis said Reid, who is blind, was not well-suited to spend time in an Indiana prison. But he also received a suspended prison sentence of 12 years -- time that he could be ordered to serve if he violates terms of his probation, which include strict limits on contact with children under age 16.
"Just the thought of going through this again scares me to no end," said Reid, a former New Castle resident who now lives in Indianapolis. There was no telephone number under his name in published listings and he could not be reached for additional comment. The Associated Press left a phone message seeking comment at the office of his attorney, B. Joseph Davis of Muncie.
The girl, who was placed in Reid's home in January 2006, told her caseworker that she and Reid had had sex several times and that a hospital test had confirmed she was pregnant. The state removed her from the home in August 2006.
The girl also told a Henry County sheriff's detective that she and Reid had sex several times.
Prosecutor Kit Crane said the plea agreement was affected by a defense motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that Reid was being denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial.
"We had some concern with regard to some of the evidence we had to work with on the case," he added. "This disposition avoids the necessity of having the victim testify."
Reid was licensed as a state foster parent from June 2004 until his license was revoked last year, the Indiana Department of Child Services said.
On another note I wonder what his defense was - "In my mind I pictured her at 25 your Honor, honest..."
Prison is exactly where he belongs - and for a long time.
Can’t find right off who appointed “Henry Circuit Judge Mary Willis”, but she shows up in google quite a bit.
This reminds me of Judge Cashman’s sentence for the child rapist - 60 days.
AAAAGGGHH!!!
BILL ! BILL O’Reilly ! We’ve got another one for you to lynch.
“How do you plead?”
“Guilty, WITH an excuse.”
Someone else’s child was placed in his care, a kid who was probably not very trustful of adults as it was....and he did this and got probabtion!!!??!
Ack,
My head hurts.
Where do we get all these pro-pedophile judges?
Is there a question on a judge application that asks “are you a pedophile, or not”....you get extra points for being a pedophile
This guy obviously isnt THAT BLIND to impregnate a 15 yr old girl....
By not putting him in prison the state saves a large amount of money that would be spend for the care of a blind man behind bars.
Either that or a 'child' (in age only) who is wise beyond her years whom the parents "couldn't handle".
Either way, he should not have been sexually involved with her.
What some of the 'kids' out there have on their behavioural resumee by 15 would be enough to give you gray hair.
I used to foster and my last 15 year old was 10 times the work than the 5 year old that preceded her.....
Sadly, the reason the 15 year old was like she was-— was because of rotten parents.
It's not like he would need a maximum security cell or anything either, a few hundred rat traps surrounding his cell and give him no shoes, sheesh I could make sure he didn't stray too far....
The court gave him what it decided he deserved. It’s a lot cheaper keeing him in his house than in a cell. He’s covering the bills, not the state.
So anotherwords, he's free to take a swing at the 16 to 18 year olds...
Seriously, what every happened to common sense in this nation? Who was this judge appointed by, Ozzie Osborn?
For kids, it just is not so. They like clear, clean boundaries, consistently enforced. They'll push them and test your resolve from time to time, but once they find out you will stand your ground, they feel more secure as a result.
They won't feel secure in a world without standards and rules, because then no one has rules to go by, just the whim of the moment.
But using no standard more stringent than the "if it feels good, do it" guideline, they are destroying their children in the guise of "being their friend". If they would be the parent now, the friendship will come later, and the kids would be better, happier, people for it.
Yes, common sense like placing a foster child in the care of a blind person?!?!?!
In the parenting classes for fostering, they said a lot of what you said....
That most kids in foster care don’t have even the most remote sense of order or consistancy-—
Rituals like morning routines, bedtimes, mealtimes, consistant behavior expectations, chores, allowances, discipline etc.
Their world was chaotic and scattershot. They might get a sandwich on Friday and nothing for supper on Saturday. Bedtime is whenever. They might get slapped for a behavior on Monday that was laughed off or ignored on Sunday.
Let me tell you, it was as rough for them as it was for me to daily be consistant in everything. Oy...that was so hard ;)
In the peds unit that I work in, the kids respond the most simple things. The most heartbreaking thing is how grateful they are to have 3 hot meals, sitting down at a table with adults (the CNAs, Nurses, me etc) its really a big deal to them!
I’ve seen even the pickiest eaters eat things like collards simply because someone cared enough to put it there.
I’m not sure what this guy’s visual status is beyond legally blind. An opthemologist can explain this better than I can, but it’s my perception that people who are ‘legally blind’ can still see with visual aid. Some cannot see anything at all, and that’s what some people think of when they hear of blindness. I don’t believe that to be accurate.
That is somewhat factored into my take on this, but I will say that if the guy was able to abuse this child, he should be able to handle prison.
Just the thought of going through this again
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