DCF pays $250,000 settlement for 2-month-old girl killed by custodial father (New Port Richey, Florida)

By DastardlyDads

DCF pays $250,000 settlement for 2-month-old girl killed by custodial father (New Port Richey, Florida)

Dad THOMAS LUDWIG was granted custody of his twin newborn girls by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), since the mother was in prison on grand theft charges. Within two months, one infant was dead from blunt force trauma to the head, and the other had a broken leg. A state review has determined that DCF failed to protect the murdered infant and failed to check on whether Dad could adequately care for the babies. The mother sued DCF, and the agency settled.

Meanwhile, Dad is still facing trial on 1st-degree murder charges.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/feb/11/pa-dcf-pays-250000-in-infants-death/

DCF pays $250,000 in infant's death

By TODD LESKANIC

Published: Februa ry 11, 2010

NEW PORT RICHEY - The Florida Department of Children & Families has agreed to pay settlements totaling $250,000 in the case of a 2-month-old girl who died after she was improperly placed in her biological father's care.

Circuit Judge Walter Schafer approved the settlements during a hearing Wednesday.

Diella Ludwig and her twin sister, Shyloh, were born in October 2008 while their mother was serving a sentence for grand theft at Lowell Correctional Institution in Marion County. The children were placed in the custody of their father, Thomas Ludwig, who lived in west Pasco County.

Authorities received a report of abuse two months later: Diella died of blunt trauma to the head on Dec. 21, 2008; Shyloh suffered a broken leg.

Ludwig, now 25, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Diella's death. He is awaiting trial.

A state review found that child welfare authorities failed to protect Diella and that no one checked whether Ludwig could properly care for his daughters. Caseworkers also failed to follow up to ensure Ludwig had access to services such as parenting classes.

The children's mother, Nicholle West, retained lawyer Darryl Rouson to look into filing a lawsuit against DCF over its poor handling of the case. The agency agreed to negotiate, Rouson said Tuesday.

As part of the settlements, the department agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a wrongful death claim.

More than $92,000 will be paid to Diella's estate. The money will be divided up, placed into accounts and used for the care of West's three other children: Colton, 11, Dalton, 7, and McKenzie, 2.

West lost custody of the children between 2005 and 2008, according to a DCF report reviewing Diella's death.

West, 31, will receive $20,000, and the remainder will go toward legal fees.

DCF also agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a separate claim on behalf of Shyloh, who is now in foster care. After subtracting attorney fees, $72,993 will be paid for her care.

All money paid out for the benefit of the children will be overseen by professional administrators appointed by the court.

"The hope from our perspective is that the surviving siblings will see some good out of the sibling sister's death," said DCF attorney Jeff Goodis.

Ludwig's roommates told detectives that when he arrived home on Dec. 20, 2008, one of the twins was crying, so he decided to put them to bed. He returned to the bedroom later and violently snatched one of the children from a stroller, snapping her head backward, a report states.

Ludwig then cursed at the child and roughly placed her on a bed, according to the report. Witnesses told investigators they later heard a loud bang, then the crying stopped.

Later the same night, Ludwig and his roommates left their house to watch a house fire. The children were left home alone. The adults returned about 10 minutes later, and Ludwig went into the bedroom and screamed, reports state.

A roommate ran into the room and saw one of the twins motionless on a pillow. Diella died at a Tampa hospital the following day.

Ludwig was arrested on Jan. 26, 2009.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (813) 731-8098.

Technorati Tags: settlement,girl,father,Port,Richey,Florida,DastardlyDads,THOMAS,LUDWIG,custody,newborn,Department,Children,prison,theft,Within,infant,trauma,babies,agency,degree,death,TODD,LESKANIC,Februa,Circuit,Judge,Walter,Schafer,Diella,Shyloh,October,Lowell,Correctional,Institution,Marion,Pasco,Authorities,welfare,Caseworkers,services,classes,Nicholle,West,lawyer,Darryl,Rouson,lawsuit,estate,money,Colton,Dalton,McKenzie,remainder,fees,attorney,perspective,Jeff,Goodis,stroller,Later,reports,room,Tampa,hospital,Reporter,infants,settlements,administrators,pays,month,custodial,months,whether,sister,roommates,bedroom

Actor Alec Baldwin tried to threaten daughter with taking sleeping pills

 

11.FEB.2010 ALEC BALDWIN: OOPS, HE DID IT AGAIN!

FILED IN: ALEC BALDWIN, PARENTAL ALIENATION DISORDER, PARENTAL ALIENATION DISORDERS, PARENTAL ALIENATION SYNDROME, PARENTAL ALIENATION

As with most fathers who use claims of “parental alienation” against the mothers of their children, Alec Baldwin continues to hold himself up as the poster boy of what these guys are really about.  Baldwin, the author of  “A Promise to Ourselves,” accused Kim Basinger of alienating their daughter from him, but actually he is doing a darn fine job of it himself.  Read about the latest antics early this morning….from The New York Post:

Actor Alec Baldwin tried to threaten daughter with taking sleeping pills

By JAMIE SCHRAM and CLEMENTE LISI
Last Updated: 5:43 PM, February 11, 2010
Posted: 8:10 AM, February 11, 2010

Baldwin returning home from hospital early Thursday morning

Emmy Award-winning actor Alec Baldwin was taken to a Manhattan hospital early today when his teenage daughter frantically called 911, claiming he had threatened to take pills after they got into a heated fight, sources said.

While the 12:10 a.m. call came in as a “possible alcohol or drug overdose,” sources told The Post that Baldwin never swallowed sleeping pills and had only threatened to do so.

The “30 Rock” actor, who lives on Central Park West, was released from Lenox Hill Hospital shortly after 1 a.m., according to sources.  “This was a misunderstanding on one person’s part. Alec was quickly released from the hospital; he’s completely fine and will be at work today,” said Baldwin’s spokesman Matthew Hiltzik.

It remains unclear what the argument was about, although this is not the first time Baldwin and his daughter, 14-year-old Ireland, have sparred.

In 2007, Baldwin blamed a bitter custody battle with ex-wife, actress Kim Basinger, in part for the anger he was feeling when he berated their daughter in a phone messagelater leaked to reporters.

In the voicemail, Baldwin called Ireland, who was 11 at the time, a “rude, thoughtless little pig.”  Baldwin left the message after Ireland had failed to pick up the phone.  He later apologized to his daughter, saying the message had “horrified” him.

In his book, “A Promise to Ourselves,” Baldwin blasted the California family court system and offered dad advice based on his own experience with divorce litigation.

Baldwin, 51, who is currently co-starring with Meryl Streep and Steve Martin in the movie “It’s Complicated,” is slated to co-host the Academy Awards with Martin next month.

Baldwin, who split with Basinger in 2000, won his second straight Emmy Award as lead actor in a comedy for “30 Rock” last year.

Last month, he and co-star Tina Fey won the Screen Actors Guild Award for best acting in a comedy series. He was also awarded a Golden Globe Award for best actor in a TV series, comedy or musical for his role in the popular NBC sit-com.  Baldwin, a no-show at last month’s Golden Globes in Los Angeles, was instead in Canada helping his favorite environmental charity, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Waterkeeper Alliance, to help raise funds.

Read more:http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/alec_baldwin_rushed_to_hospital_PsxWYUJMOPgd793Lvgut5N#ixzz0fGtrTg4k

Technorati Tags: Actor,Alec,Baldwin,daughter,pills,OOPS,AGAIN,PARENTAL,ALIENATION,DISORDER,SYNDROME,children,poster,author,Promise,Basinger,Read,antics,York,Post,JAMIE,SCHRAM,CLEMENTE,LISI,Last,February,hospital,Emmy,Award,Manhattan,drug,Rock,Central,Park,West,Lenox,Hill,person,spokesman,Matthew,Hiltzik,argument,Ireland,custody,wife,message,reporters,California,system,advice,litigation,Meryl,Streep,Steve,Martin,movie,host,Academy,comedy,Tina,Guild,series,Golden,Globe,role,Globes,Angeles,Canada,Robert,Kennedy,Waterkeeper,Alliance,news,DISORDERS,fathers,Actors,himself,month

NCADV PRESS RELEASE: Family Courts Implicated in Infants’ Murders

 

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/family-courts-implicated-in-infants-murders-84068172.html

Family Courts Implicated in Infants' Murders

Two Young Boys Killed by Two Divorcing Dads in Past 10 Days Points to Massive System Failure

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National and local advocacy groups are expressing outrage over what has become a disturbing national trend of divorcing Dads killing their children and themselves. 8-month-old baby Bekm was shot and killed by his father, Nicholas Bacon, in Meridian, Idaho just 48 hours ago, while 9-month-old baby Wyatt was killed by his father Stephen Garcia just ten days ago in San Bernardino County. Details are still emerging about the tragic Idaho murder-suicide of baby Bekm on Monday night.

In the Garcia case, three different judges refused multiple requests by the child's mother for restraining orders to protect her child, despite police reports and documented death threats by the father in text messages and on Facebook.

"The system failed Wyatt Garcia and Katie Tagle,'' said California Assemblymember Jim Beall, Jr., the lead sponsor of Assembly Bill 612, which aims to prevent the use of non-scientific theories in California family courts. "Wyatt's tragic death was completely avoidable."

Numerous sources report a significant spike in murder suicides across the country by violent fathers who kill their children and themselves, frequently after mothers' requests for protection of their children are denied by family court judges. In addition, the Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence estimates that more than 58,000 children per year in America are ordered by family courts into unsupervised contact with physically or sexually abusive parents following divorce.

"The time has come for us as a society to speak out and put a stop to this growing national body count. Across the country, women and children are being killed because of judges' personal biases and junk science that tells them to disbelieve women's legitimate claims and evidence of abuse," said Rita Smith, the Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

According to court transcripts and eyewitness accounts, judges reacted with disbelief when mother Katie Tagle presented them with evidence of death threats against her son by the father.

Judge David Mazurek stated, "I get concerned when there's a pending child custody and visitation issue and in between that, one party or the other claims that there's some violence in between. It raises the court's eyebrows because based on my experience, it's a way for one party to try to gain an advantage over the other," he said.

"This attitude permeates the courts, that women are lying about the danger they are in," said Kathleen Russell from the Center for Judicial Excellence. "This attitude causes judges to ignore tangible evidence of death threats and abuse. The abusers' lobby has convinced judges that shared custody is always the answer, and sadly, this case points out how deadly that approach can be," she said.

According to a family member who was in the courtroom when Ms. Tagle last sought protection for her son, the judge reportedly said, "One of you is lying, and I think it's you," while pointing at Katie. Transcripts from this hearing are not yet available.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Center for Judicial Excellence are part of a growing national advocacy movement to educate the public as well as litigants, lawmakers, judges, and social service providers about the need for comprehensive family court reform. The Center for Judicial Excellence and their allies worked with California State Senator Mark Leno and others to pass an audit request through the state legislature last July. The California State Auditor is currently investigating the use of court appointees in family courts because of growing evidence that children are being harmed there. The California Legislature is slated to consider additional family court reform bills being presented by the Center and the California Protective Parents Association in the coming months.

"We must assess what's happening in our family courts, and that's why I've requested a state audit to take a hard look at the performance and effectiveness of the family court system,'' said Assembly member Beall.

The State Auditor's report about the California Family Courts has an expected release date of June 2010.

***************

NCADV - The Mission of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is to organize for collective power by advancing transformative work, thinking and leadership of communities and individuals working to end the violence in our lives. 

CJE - The Center for Judicial Excellence (CJE) was established to improve the judiciary's public accountability and strengthen and maintain the integrity of the courts. CJE has made a special commitment to protect the rights of children and other vulnerable populations in the courts.

SOURCE National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

RELATED LINKS
http://www.ncadv.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    February 10, 2010

            Contacts: Rita Smith, NCADV 303-839-1852 ext. 105

            Kathleen Russell, CJE415-250-1180

Family Courts Implicated in Infants’ Murders

Two Young Boys Killed by Two Divorcing Dads in Past 10 Days

Points to Massive System Failure

SAN RAFAEL- National and local advocacy groups are expressing outrage over what has become a disturbing national trend of divorcing Dads killing their children and themselves. 

8-month-old baby Bekm was shot and killed by his father, Nicholas Bacon, in Meridian, Idaho just 48 hours ago, while 9-month-old baby Wyatt was killed by his father Stephen Garcia just ten days ago in San Bernardino County. Details are still emerging about the tragic Idaho murder-suicide of baby Bekm on Monday night. 

In the Garcia case, three different judges refused multiple requests by the child’s mother for restraining orders to protect her child, despite police reports and documented death threats by the father in text messages and on Facebook.

“The system failed Wyatt Garcia and Katie Tagle,’’ said California Assemblymember Jim Beall, Jr., the lead sponsor of Assembly Bill 612, which aims to prevent the use of non-scientific theories in California family courts. “Wyatt’s tragic death was completely avoidable.??”

Numerous sources report a significant spike in murder suicides across the country by violent fathers who kill their children and themselves, frequently after mothers’ requests for protection of their children are denied by family court judges. In addition, the Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence estimates that more than 58,000 children per year in America are ordered by family courts into unsupervised contact with physically or sexually abusive parents following divorce.

“The time has come for us as a society to speak out and put a stop to this growing national body count. Across the country, women and children are being killed because of judges’ personal biases and junk science that tells them to disbelieve women’s legitimate claims and evidence of abuse,” said Rita Smith, the Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

According to court transcripts and eyewitness accounts, judges reacted with disbelief when mother Katie Tagle presented them with evidence of death threats against her son by the father.

Judge David Mazurek stated, “I get concerned when there’s a pending child custody and visitation issue and in between that, one party or the other claims that there’s some violence in between. It raises the court’s eyebrows because based on my experience, it’s a way for one party to try to gain an advantage over the other,” he said.

“This attitude permeates the courts, that women are lying about the danger they are in,” said Kathleen Russell from the Center for Judicial Excellence. “This attitude causes judges to ignore tangible evidence of death threats and abuse. The abusers’ lobby has convinced judges that shared custody is always the answer, and sadly, this case points out how deadly that approach can be,” she said.

According to a family member who was in the courtroom when Ms. Tagle last sought protection for her son, the judge reportedly said, “One of you is lying, and I think it’s you,” while pointing at Katie. Transcripts from this hearing are not yet available.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Center for Judicial Excellence are part of a growing national advocacy movement to educate the public as well as litigants, lawmakers, judges, and social service providers about the need for comprehensive family court reform. The Center for Judicial Excellence and their allies worked with California State Senator Mark Leno and others to pass an audit request through the state legislature last July. The California State Auditor is currently investigating the use of court appointees in family courts because of growing evidence that children are being harmed there. The California Legislature is slated to consider additional family court reform bills being presented by the Center and the California Protective Parents Association in the coming months.

“We must assess what’s happening in our family courts, and that’s why I’ve requested a state audit to take a hard look at the performance and effectiveness of the family court system,’’ s

Technorati Tags: NCADV,RELEASE,Courts,news,Young,Dads,Past,Massive,System,Failure,RAFAEL,Calif,PRNewswire,USNewswire,National,advocacy,trend,children,Bekm,father,Nicholas,Bacon,Meridian,Idaho,Wyatt,Stephen,Garcia,Bernardino,Details,judges,requests,orders,reports,death,threats,text,messages,Facebook,Katie,Tagle,California,Assemblymember,Beall,Bill,Numerous,protection,addition,Leadership,Council,Child,Abuse,Interpersonal,Violence,America,Across,science,Rita,Smith,Executive,Director,Coalition,Against,Domestic,disbelief,Judge,David,Mazurek,custody,advantage,attitude,danger,Russell,Center,Judicial,Excellence,member,movement,allies,State,Senator,Mark,Leno,legislature,Auditor,Protective,Parents,Association,performance,June,Mission,individuals,judiciary,commitment,rights,SOURCE,LINKS,IMMEDIATE,February,Contacts,Infants,theories,fathers,biases,transcripts,lawmakers,providers,month,hours,suicide,three,suicides,women,visitation,eyebrows,abusers,courtroom,litigants,appointees,months

Dean Tong ‘wife beater’ self proclaimed EXPERT in DV is no Expert (Good Gawd) Abuse- Excuse he says- 2008 FoxNews

Posts tagged Dean Tong

Dean Tong Makes The Pig Pageby The Countess12:36 pm / 01 February 2008

The Pig Page is an infamous web site featuring ugly commentary and photos of major fathers' and men's rights activists. Dean Tong has just been added. Make sure you check out all the guys (and one woman) on The Pig Page. There are three pages worth. They'll give you the hives.

Tagged with: Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

FoxNews On Dean Tong - He’s No Expertby The Countess12:32 pm / 01 February 2008

Finally, someone questions Dean Tong's status as "expert". And it's on FoxNews, no less! Tong is no expert on domestic violence, "false" allegations, or anything else for that matter.

What Exactly Qualifies Someone as an Expert?
Friday, February 01, 2008
By Greg Gutfeld

People often come up to me and ask me the same questions over and over again: "Is that a scar?" and "How come you don't have experts on 'Red Eye'?" The answers: It's actually a birthmark and experts are phonies.

The easiest way to pawn yourself off as an expert? Tell people you're an expert. Then go on a talk show. Sex experts, steroid experts, latte experts — they're all shams.

On Thursday, an expert on domestic violence whose previous appearances include "Dr. Phil" and "Nancy Grace" was been arrested for... domestic violence. Dean Tong was picked up after his wife called the cops over an argument that turned physical. This wasn't his first arrest — he'd also been busted in 2001 for domestic violence. So maybe that does make him an expert, after all.

I bring up this story to illustrate a simple truth: With 500 TV channels and countless talking heads needed to fill time, no one really checks. I have, after all, pawned myself off on a number of shows as a relationship expert. If you only knew how my exes feel about that! Thankfully, they can't talk because they're goats, yaks and that one Komodo dragon. Although to be fair, he was quite articulate.

And if you disagree with me, then you're a probably a racist and worse than Hitler.

Greg Gutfeld hosts "Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld" weekdays at 2 a.m. ET. Send your comments

Tagged with: Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

False” Allegations/FRster Dean Tong Arrested For Wife Beatingby The Countess7:09 pm / 29 January 2008

I've stopped the family law feminist work for the most part, but I could not let this news go by without saying something about it.

Dean Tong, author of "The Abuse Excuse" and long-time "expert" on "false" allegations of abuse and how women supposedly frequently file them, has been charged - again - with wife beating. According to the paperwork, he is in jail right now.

He was also charged with, to quote the paperwork, "tampering with wit(ness) with force to evade pro(secution).

Interestingly, the paperwork says Tong is a "consultant" who is self-employed, which I've known for years anyway. He's not a real expert on anything. He created his "job" of "forensic consultant" in cahoots with another "false allegations" proponent, Ken Pangborn, who has issues of his own, and husband/wife team the late Ralph Underwager and Hollida Wakefield (infamous for their pro-incest quotes in the Dutch pedophile magazine Paidika- Paidida, Part 1, Paidika, Part 2, Underwager - "expert" (bah!) testimony), Richard Gardner (see my links about the bogus Parental Alienation Syndrome, and information from The Leadership Council about PAS), etc., after Tong beat charges laid against him in his prior marriage of sexually abusing his daughter, whom I understand does not speak much to him to this day.

My source is NOT the sources below. MY source is not feminist, does not believe most women when they make allegations of abuse, and that source is not very friendly towards feminism. I also learned of the charge before the news article came out. I only link to the first source because it provides a readable image of the paperwork detailing Tong's charges. I can't figure out how to post that paperwork on my blog, and I have the same paperwork in e-mail.

Dean Tong Arrested For Wife Beating - Again

Then there is this article, from Tampabay10s.com Abuse Expert Arrested On Abuse Charge.

Here's the article itself:

-----

Tampa, Florida - Google the name "Dean Tong" and the search turns up hundreds of entries that list him as a "nationally recognized legal consultant and author on child abuse, custody and abduction cases."

Tong is an author who has appeared on many national television and radio shows on the topic of false accusations of child abuse.

His web site, abuse-excuse.com, describes him as an "internationally known family rights and forensic consultant on child abuse, domestic violence, and child custody cases."

Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies arrested Tong today, accusing the domestic violence expert of domestic violence.

An arrest report says Tong grabbed, shoved and bruised his wife as they argued in their Riverview home. It goes on to say Tong slammed his wife's foot in the door and wrestled the phone away from her as she tried to dial 911.

Tong was arrested on charges of domestic battery.

-----

The news is making the rounds like a wildfire. Expect to see men's and father's rights advocates backpedal like crazy over Tong's arrest. After all, Tong was one of their "false" allegations darlings. Sucks to be them.

This arrest only proves what I have been saying for years; that those who complain most loudly about women supposedly frequently filing false allegations of child abuse and domestic violence are guilty of those crimes in their own lives. It's good to see another supposed "expert" on "false" allegations get his comeuppance.

I will update this post or create new posts as I am sent new information

 

 

More Dirt On Dean Tong - NY Postby The Countess11:15 am / 31 January 2008

The chips are finally falling in place for Dean Tong. I knew he had a prior history of domestic violence (without getting prosecuted), but it's good that the NY Post is on top of his history. I hadn't heard about the attempted burglary charge. He's so special - the "expert" on wife beating who is charged with beating his wife. My irony meter just exploded.

-----

HE REALLY IS AN EXPERT ON WIFE-BEATING

By DAVID K. LI

January 31, 2008 -- An expert on domestic violence, who has appeared on several national TV shows, was busted for roughing up his wife, Florida officials said yesterday.

Cops near Tampa responded to the home of Dean Tong, 51, after receiving a frantic call from his wife the night of Jan. 21, according to law-enforcement records.

Tong was booked for alleged domestic violence and tampering with a witness. He was released on $1,000 bail.

Tong has appeared as an expert on shows like "Dr. Phil," "48 Hours" and "Nancy Grace."

"During the argument, he grabbed [his wife's] arm, slammed the door into her foot, and took the phone away from her when she attempted to call law enforcement," Hillsborough County Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said yesterday.

Tong's wife suffered bruises on her arm and leg, cops said.

Hillsborough Sheriff's records show Tong has been busted before - in 1998 for alleged burglary, and again in 2001 for domestic violence.

Tong was not prosecuted in either case.

Tagged with: Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

Dean Tong Out Of Jail And Releases Statementby The Countess10:59 am / 31 January 2008

Statement from Dean Tong, which is an update to the earlier Tampabays10.com article. As expected, the "false allegations expert" is likely going to accuse his wife of making false allegations of abuse against him, even though he slammed her foot in a door, bruised her arm, and threatened to "ruin her" if she called the cops on him.

Read the comments to the article. They're just getting started.

UPDATE - On Wednesday Dean Tong's public relations firm released the following statement:
"Dean Tong, author of the critically acclaimed book “Elusive Innocence: Survival Guide for the Falsely Accused,” has found himself in the same situation as many of his clients. He was released on $1,000.00 bail yesterday for an alleged abuse charge.

Tong has made this statement: “I am in the middle of a bitter divorce. Allegations have been made by my wife. I have been advised by my attorney to not discuss the details of the case. However, I maintain my innocence and enthusiastically look forward to my day in court so that the truth can come out and clear my name.”

Tagged with: Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

MSNBC On Dean Tongby The Countess2:21 pm / 30 January 2008

Domestic Violence Expert Accused Of Abusing His Wife

Tampa Bay Online
updated 10:20 a.m. ET, Wed., Jan. 30, 2008
By Chris Echegaray

TAMPA - Dean Tong, an expert on family rights and domestic violence, was arrested Monday night, accused of abusing his wife during an argument a week ago.

Tong, 51, of Riverview, who has written books on false accusations of child abuse, was charged with tampering with a witness and battery domestic violence, according to an arrest report.

Tong was arguing with his wife Jan. 21 when he grabbed her and slammed her into the bedroom door, according to the report.

She attempted to call the sheriff's office but Tong grabbed her cell phone and told her he would ruin her if she called police, the report states. She suffered bruises on her arm and leg.

Tong is also a forensic trial consultant. He was accused of sexually abusing his 3-year-old daughter by his ex-wife, according to his Web site. He was acquitted but it took 10 years of litigation and $120,000 to receive unsupervised visits with his children, his Web site states.

Efforts to reach Tong were unsuccessful. He was being held at Orient Road Jail on $1,000 bail late Tuesday.

Tagged with: Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

Dean Tong Out Of Jail. For Now.by The Countess2:04 pm / 30 January 2008

Dean Tong is out of jail... for the time being. Here's the latest article on his arrest for wife beating and witness tampering. I like how the article makes it sound like Tong actually had something of substance to say to the reporter, when all he did for the most part was growl at her.

-----

Author Under Arrest Talks Exclusively With 10 News (Tampa Bay Local News)

Tampa, Florida - Dean Tong walked out of the Hillsborough County Jail a free man. For now.

The well-known domestic abuse author is in a position that he normally condemns: the abuser. Tong was arrested Monday night for grabbing his wife's arm, slamming her foot in the door and wrestling the phone out of her hand as she called police.

As he walked past a 10 News camera in front of the jail, he told reporter Melanie Brooks in a curt tone, "Innocent until proven guilty. Talk to my attorney."

It is a road Tong has traveled before. He's been arrested twice, once in 1998 for burglary and again in 2001 for domestic violence.

Tong has appeared on countless televisions shows, such as Dr. Phil, 48 Hours, and Nancy Grace on CNN. He's also written books on the subject of abuse.

But, this time, it is his own actions that are under the microscope, labeled as abusive by authorities.

Melanie Brooks, Tampa Bay's 10 News

Tagged with: Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

Dean Tong - Arrested And In Jailby The Countess8:26 pm / 29 January 2008

I found the Florida database page of Dean Tong's arrest record for beating his wife and tampering with witness with force to evade prosecution:

Dean Bryan Tong - Arrest/Jail/Charges

Tagged with: Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

Don’t Forget - Dean Tong Excused Murderer Darren Macks’ Shootingsby The Countess7:58 pm / 29 January 2008

This is a reprint of a post I wrote about Dean Tong when Darren Mack made the news due to murdering his wife and shooting the judge that heard his case. Tong is now in jail, charged with wife beating and trying to evade prosecution. The original link is here.

-----

My readers may recall that I have already posted about Dean Tong's comments excusing what Darren Mack had done. Mack had hired Tong as his forensic consultant. Now, Tong has an editorial published in the Reno Review Journal. He's engaging in more damage control, a la Glenn Sacks and Wendy McElroy, but he falls flat on his face.

Note how Tong blames "the system" for Mack, who he said "was cracking".

What happened to Darren Mack between then and June 12, when, according to police, he stabbed Charla Mack to death and shot Family Court Judge Chuck Weller with a high-powered rifle? Hindsight is 20/20, but my opinion is that this "family man turned hit man" was cracking under the strain of trying to hold onto his business, his assets and his daughter while navigating a misguided Family Court system that only poured gasoline on an already incendiary situation.

Tong also sought to place blame on Charla Mack, whom Mack had stabbed to death.

He claimed his wife and her very aggressive and competent attorney were drumming up a story to gain the upper hand in their demands for custody and assets. To wit: If she was so scared of him, why did she drive to his townhome the morning of June 12 without an adult witness by her side?

That's right. Blame a dead woman for her own murder.

I'm not surprised that Dean Tong would create excuses for what Darren Mack had done. Lots of father's rights activists are taking the "the system is to blame!" approach. Let them. It makes them look like they are making excuses for Mack's murder, shooting, and flight, which is exactly what they are doing. Tong had written that Mack "was cracking", as if his contentious divorce was to blame for him stabbing his wife to death and shooting Judge Weller.

Tong represents men who claim they have been falsely accused of abuse. That's how he makes his money. He has no training to do what he does. He is trained as an Emergency Medical Technician. As I had written in my earlier post about Tong, the test that Tong uses is the penile plethysmograph test, which is unreliable in ascertaining child sexual abuse. This test measures male sexual arousal. This test has many problems, including that it is not admitted in court under Daubert, which means that the test is scientifically unreliable. The test is "subject to fakery and voluntary control by test subjects..."

Here is one of Tong's recommendations in his op-ed for divorces to supposedly prevent contention:

Joint custody should be the preferred option. Even though the rule of law is "the child's best interests," too often it is interpreted as, "the father should get the shaft and the mom should get everything."

Tong neglected to point out that Charla and Darren Mack had joint custody. It obviously did not inspire them to get along for the sake of their children. Joint custody did not prevent Darren Mack from "cracking". It's so nice of him to write the inflammatory statement "the father should get the shaft and the mom should get everything." That makes him look petty and vindictive - not the way you want to look when talking about a man who had stabbed his wife to death, shot the judge who was hearing his case, and then fled to Mexico.

Dean Tong is a favorite amongst father' rights activists and "false allegations" supporters. He, like most of the fathers' rights activists who have written about the Mack case, continues to blame "the system" for a murder and a shooting. What Dean Tong is doing is damage control. Fathers' rights activists have made their opinions clear on message boards where they have supported Mack shooting Judge Weller. They also blame "the system" for Mack's downfall. Fathers' rights activists do not represent good men. Good, decent men who are going through divorce should not look to those groups or the individuals in them for help.

Tagged with: Darren Mack, Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

More On Dean Tong - Let The Backpedaling Beginby The Countess7:48 pm / 29 January 2008

And now let the screaming start... the Tong supporters are already coming up with the expected excuses. In fact, I saw these kinds of excuses made by fathers' rights and men's rights activists when Darren Mack was arrested for murdering his wife (while his child was only yards away in her home!) and shooting the judge that heard his divorce case

Here is the latest, from a mailing list that will go unnamed. Note the excuses. Tong WAS NOT "pushed" "over the edge". He is accused of beating his wife, and my main source tells me that this is not the first time.

By the way, this Tong supporter is a woman, so don't think that only men accused of beating their wives and children or molesting their kids are his only supporters.

-----

What a "downer" that this man would allow himself to become so angered as to lose control of himself to the point of attacking his wife. ALL of his credibility and books and good works, now tainted. So VERY SAD~!!!
It really makes me wonder just how many people are literally "pushed" over the edge as a result of all the bull-sh*t they go thru from the various sources stemming from CPS and the corrupt family courts. They literally DRIVE perfectly healthy and normal people to insanity and to the point of just "losing it". CPS and the corrupt family court players SHOULD BE CHARGED with criminal activity against mankind when they "cause" such to happen. Mr. Tong has long been a great fighter and ally for parents. It's just beyond words~!!! You really wonder just what did happen to push him over the edge.........
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=72736
I am forwarding this link to the news story from FL for everyone, given that someone else has posted a message about it to a few regarding the incident. I just found it so very hard to believe, so searched for the legitimate story about it to validate it's truth, and this is what I found.
Soooo VERY SAD~!!!

Tagged with: Dean Tong, Fathers' Rights

“.

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GiveMeMyMomBlog: Just when you think its going to be ok…

Givememymom's Blog

HELP ME, please

Just when you think its going to be ok…

February 4, 2010 by givememymom

Of course our legal system is so corrupt and unjust you might just end up the one in jail punished for accusing the other.

Your kids ripped from your arms because by trying to protecting them, you are alienating them and dangerous of course what else could be a logical conclusion? Oh and don’t forget trying the same thing that did not work three years ago again and the family is still trying to recover from it.

Nevertheless, of course this time even though every aspect of it is the same, it is completely different, and it will work this time, of course. That is the difference between law and justice. THE LAW IS NOT JUST!

They take kids from their caring, loving, responsible, archetype mom and give them to the abusive dad’s latest girlfriend, when the girlfriend will soon not be the girlfriend anymore. There are pictures of a naked woman on his phone. That is the “stable” environment in which they want to place the children. T

hat is our legal system at work.

Is that in anyway shape or form justice? Is taking a child, who has been following all the unjust laws, and telling her that because she does not love her father enough she cannot see or talk to her mom, justice?

They have her come in to the court, sit down and then the judge starts talking; to the girl it is like a nightmare. The judge is far away and looking down on her making the decisions that will change her life.

The judge starts to grow and get closer, and the girl grows slightly dizzy. She knows that any second now she will pass out unconscious in her chair. And she waits for unconsciousness to take her to a peaceful place, it never comes.

Then the judge stops talking and the girl’s sister starts. Soon after that, the girl is sobbing and yelling at the judge. The sister storms out and the girl follows.  And with the step outside that room, she steps into her new life and as the door closes behind her, the possibility of turning back is sealed off forever.

This story about the United States’ legal system is not uncommon. This injustice happens everyday in courts across the country. When well we step up and not take those unjust orders?

Did that girl really need to go through it once to realize that it was wrong and that she could disobey the orders and try to change the system? When is injustice to much? Why don’t we protest all injustices? Why doesn’t anybody help the girl?

Tags: Abuse, Court, Dad, Dizzy, Family, Help, Home, injustice, Judge,Justice, Law, Lawyers, Mom, nightmare, Sad, School, sobbing,Speaking Out, Supervision, unconscious, yelling

Posted in Abuse, Court, Dad, Dizzy, Family, Help, Home, Judge, Justice,Law, Lawyers, Mom, Sad, School, Speaking Out, Supervision, injustice,nightmare, sobbing, unconscious, yelling | Leave a Comment »

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NCADV PRESS RELEASE: Family Courts Implicated in Infants’ Murders

Family Courts Implicated in Infants’ Murders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 10, 2010

Contacts: Rita Smith, NCADV 303-839-1852 ext. 105

Kathleen Russell, CJE 415-250-1180

Family Courts Implicated in Infants’ Murders

Two Young Boys Killed by Two Divorcing Dads in Past 10 Days

Points to Massive System Failure

SAN RAFAEL- National and local advocacy groups are expressing outrage over what has become a disturbing national trend of divorcing Dads killing their children and themselves.

8-month-old baby Bekm was shot and killed by his father, Nicholas Bacon, in Meridian, Idaho just 48 hours ago, while 9-month-old baby Wyatt was killed by his father Stephen Garcia just ten days ago in San Bernardino County. Details are still emerging about the tragic Idaho murder-suicide of baby Bekm on Monday night.

In the Garcia case, three different judges refused multiple requests by the child’s mother for restraining orders to protect her child, despite police reports and documented death threats by the father in text messages and on Facebook.

“The system failed Wyatt Garcia and Katie Tagle,’’ said California Assemblymember Jim Beall, Jr., the lead sponsor of Assembly Bill 612, which aims to prevent the use of non-scientific theories in California family courts. “Wyatt’s tragic death was completely avoidable.”

http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/

Numerous sources report a significant spike in murder suicides across the country by violent fathers who kill their children and themselves, frequently after mothers’ requests for protection of their children are denied by family court judges. In addition, the Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence estimates that more than 58,000 children per year in America are ordered by family courts into unsupervised contact with physically or sexually abusive parents following divorce.

“The time has come for us as a society to speak out and put a stop to this growing national body count. Across the country, women and children are being killed because of judges’ personal biases and junk science that tells them to disbelieve women’s legitimate claims and evidence of abuse,” said Rita Smith, the Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

According to court transcripts and eyewitness accounts, judges reacted with disbelief when mother Katie Tagle presented them with evidence of death threats against her son by the father.

Judge David Mazurek stated, “I get concerned when there’s a pending child custody and visitation issue and in between that, one party or the other claims that there’s some violence in between. It raises the court’s eyebrows because based on my experience, it’s a way for one party to try to gain an advantage over the other,” he said.

http://www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org/

“This attitude permeates the courts, that women are lying about the danger they are in,” said Kathleen Russell from the Center for Judicial Excellence. “This attitude causes judges to ignore tangible evidence of death threats and abuse. The abusers’ lobby has convinced judges that shared custody is always the answer, and sadly, this case points out how deadly that approach can be,” she said.

According to a family member who was in the courtroom when Ms. Tagle last sought protection for her son, the judge reportedly said, “One of you is lying, and I think it’s you,” while pointing at Katie. Transcripts from this hearing are not yet available.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Center for Judicial Excellence are part of a growing national advocacy movement to educate the public as well as litigants, lawmakers, judges, and social service providers about the need for comprehensive family court reform. The Center for Judicial Excellence and their allies worked with California State Senator Mark Leno and others to pass an audit request through the state legislature last July. The California State Auditor is currently investigating the use of court appointees in family courts because of growing evidence that children are being harmed there. The California Legislature is slated to consider additional family court reform bills being presented by the Center and the California Protective Parents Association in the coming months.

“We must assess what’s happening in our family courts, and that’s why I’ve requested a state audit to take a hard look at the performance and effectiveness of the family court system,’’ said Assemblymember Beall.

The State Auditor’s report about the California Family Courts has an expected release date of June 2010.

***************

http://www.ncadv.org/

NCADV - The Mission of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is to organize for collective power by advancing transformative work, thinking and leadership of communities and individuals working to end the violence in our lives.

http://www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org/

CJE - The Center for Judicial Excellence (CJE) was established to improve the judiciary's public accountability and strengthen and maintain the integrity of the courts. CJE has made a special commitment to protect the rights of children and other vulnerable populations in the courts.

##

KATHLEEN RUSSELL | KATHLEEN RUSSELL CONSULTING

1346 4th Street | San Rafael, CA | 94901

Main 415.459.9211 | Fax 415.459.9210

Telling Stories, Moving Mountains

www.kathleenrussell.com

A CERTIFIED BAY AREA GREEN BUSINESS

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NCADV PRESS RELEASE: Family Courts Implicated in Infants’ Murders

Family Courts Implicated in Infants’ Murders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 10, 2010

Contacts: Rita Smith, NCADV 303-839-1852 ext. 105

Kathleen Russell, CJE 415-250-1180

Family Courts Implicated in Infants’ Murders

Two Young Boys Killed by Two Divorcing Dads in Past 10 Days

Points to Massive System Failure

SAN RAFAEL- National and local advocacy groups are expressing outrage over what has become a disturbing national trend of divorcing Dads killing their children and themselves.

8-month-old baby Bekm was shot and killed by his father, Nicholas Bacon, in Meridian, Idaho just 48 hours ago, while 9-month-old baby Wyatt was killed by his father Stephen Garcia just ten days ago in San Bernardino County. Details are still emerging about the tragic Idaho murder-suicide of baby Bekm on Monday night.

In the Garcia case, three different judges refused multiple requests by the child’s mother for restraining orders to protect her child, despite police reports and documented death threats by the father in text messages and on Facebook.

“The system failed Wyatt Garcia and Katie Tagle,’’ said California Assemblymember Jim Beall, Jr., the lead sponsor of Assembly Bill 612, which aims to prevent the use of non-scientific theories in California family courts. “Wyatt’s tragic death was completely avoidable.”

http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/

Numerous sources report a significant spike in murder suicides across the country by violent fathers who kill their children and themselves, frequently after mothers’ requests for protection of their children are denied by family court judges. In addition, the Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence estimates that more than 58,000 children per year in America are ordered by family courts into unsupervised contact with physically or sexually abusive parents following divorce.

“The time has come for us as a society to speak out and put a stop to this growing national body count. Across the country, women and children are being killed because of judges’ personal biases and junk science that tells them to disbelieve women’s legitimate claims and evidence of abuse,” said Rita Smith, the Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

According to court transcripts and eyewitness accounts, judges reacted with disbelief when mother Katie Tagle presented them with evidence of death threats against her son by the father.

Judge David Mazurek stated, “I get concerned when there’s a pending child custody and visitation issue and in between that, one party or the other claims that there’s some violence in between. It raises the court’s eyebrows because based on my experience, it’s a way for one party to try to gain an advantage over the other,” he said.

http://www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org/

“This attitude permeates the courts, that women are lying about the danger they are in,” said Kathleen Russell from the Center for Judicial Excellence. “This attitude causes judges to ignore tangible evidence of death threats and abuse. The abusers’ lobby has convinced judges that shared custody is always the answer, and sadly, this case points out how deadly that approach can be,” she said.

According to a family member who was in the courtroom when Ms. Tagle last sought protection for her son, the judge reportedly said, “One of you is lying, and I think it’s you,” while pointing at Katie. Transcripts from this hearing are not yet available.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Center for Judicial Excellence are part of a growing national advocacy movement to educate the public as well as litigants, lawmakers, judges, and social service providers about the need for comprehensive family court reform. The Center for Judicial Excellence and their allies worked with California State Senator Mark Leno and others to pass an audit request through the state legislature last July. The California State Auditor is currently investigating the use of court appointees in family courts because of growing evidence that children are being harmed there. The California Legislature is slated to consider additional family court reform bills being presented by the Center and the California Protective Parents Association in the coming months.

“We must assess what’s happening in our family courts, and that’s why I’ve requested a state audit to take a hard look at the performance and effectiveness of the family court system,’’ said Assemblymember Beall.

The State Auditor’s report about the California Family Courts has an expected release date of June 2010.

***************

http://www.ncadv.org/

NCADV - The Mission of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is to organize for collective power by advancing transformative work, thinking and leadership of communities and individuals working to end the violence in our lives.

http://www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org/

CJE - The Center for Judicial Excellence (CJE) was established to improve the judiciary's public accountability and strengthen and maintain the integrity of the courts. CJE has made a special commitment to protect the rights of children and other vulnerable populations in the courts.

##

KATHLEEN RUSSELL | KATHLEEN RUSSELL CONSULTING

1346 4th Street | San Rafael, CA | 94901

Main 415.459.9211 | Fax 415.459.9210

Telling Stories, Moving Mountains

www.kathleenrussell.com

A CERTIFIED BAY AREA GREEN BUSINESS

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