THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9608010002
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 32 lines
What has become of unbiased reporting? I refer to the article, ``Discipline or Abuse? Paddling 13-year-old lands man in court'' (MetroNews, July 19).
Implied in the headline and article is that social-service workers, police and a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judge have all overreacted in removing the child from her home pending resolution of an abuse charge against her father. The charge pending against the father is felony child endangerment.
It must be concluded that police and prosecutors have sufficient evidence and probable cause to pursue this charge. Evidently, there is more to this story than was told in your paper.
When only one side of the story can be presented, an objective news article should explain that social-service workers by law are prohibited from commenting on cases without permission of the court or families.
Any beating that leaves marks serious enough to be noticed and reported several days later constitutes grounds for criminal charges of assault. If a stranger were to commit the same act, the parents and the public would rally to support and protect the child. Why should a man who seriously injures a 13-year-old girl be held any less responsible because he is her father and the crime was committed in the name of ``love''?
BETTY WADE COYLE
Executive director
Hampton Roads Committee
to Prevent Child Abuse
Norfolk, July 26, 1996 by CNB