In Cincinnati, Ohio a father was jailed for 30 days after admitting that he tied up his 12-year-old daughter and locked her in a dog cage. He threatened to electrify the cage while she was inside if she did not obey his orders. The case, which was decided on Wednesday, April 25th 2012, is just one of the many instances where a father has performed physical and psychological abuse on his child. The man pleaded guilty to his charges. He was originally discovered by relatives when he posted pictures of his daughter in the cage on his Facebook page. He explained to the courts that he would lock the child into the dog cage when she was misbehaving, but only left her in confinement for a few minutes.
One report claims that the man sprinkled drips of water on her face while the 12-year-old lay vulnerable in the cage. She stayed inside the dog kennel for approximately 20 minutes, before her brother set her free. In retaliation, the little girl poured water on her father's head and in his ear. He responded by binding the child with duct tape and forcing her back inside the cage. He then commanded his son to get an electrical jumper pack from the garage, and told her he would electrify the cage so that she could not escape again.
When his anger eventually cooled, the father allowed his daughter out of the metal cage, and her grandmother helped her to remove the duct tape from her wrists and ankles. Even though the girl was not harmed, the dad was charged with unlawful restraint, and the case raised enough scrutiny to name him an unfit parent. At the time of this crime, the father was not in possession of his daughter, but was living in the same residency. Previously, the little girl and her brother had been handed over to their grandparents. The child is now in the custody of other family members, and is not living in the home with her father.
Unfit parents are determined by the state laws, so every jurisdiction will give a different definition. Normally a parent is deemed unfit if he or she is abusive to the children, has neglected to care for them, is not a proper provider, or has an addiction to drugs or alcohol which harms the children. In some cases, the parent may have a mental disability, caused by a substance abuse or an unfortunate injury, which makes that person an incapable parent. Parents who cannot manage to give their children the care and protection that they need, or routinely abandon them, will also be considered unfit parents.
Whenever the court determines that a father or mother is ineligible care for the children, new guardians will be instated. Many times the children are passed off to a relative, such as an aunt or uncle, or a set of grandparents. The new guardians are given all financial and legal responsibilities pertaining to the child. When there is not a qualified relative to take on the care of the children, or a willing friend, then the child may be placed in the foster-care system.
Many unfit parenting cases are reversible, and contingent on the parent's behavior. If a parent is willing to work on the concerns that the courts bring up, then they may be able to gain possession of their children once more. Often times a social worker is very involved in these types of cases. If you were convicted of abusing your children, then you will want to contact a family lawyer immediately and explain your case, so you can fight for custody of you children and prove that you are a responsible parent.