How Could You? Hall of Shame-Australia-Birthmother’s Boyfriend

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Canberra, Australia, “a 22-year-old Canberra man arrested for his involvement in taking a baby girl from a Barnardos care house earlier this year has pleaded guilty to charges in the ACT Magistrates Court today.

The man admitted helping take the 18-month-old girl from the centre in Belconnen in August, while the child’s mother was on a supervised visit.

The incident sparked a wide-reaching search by police, with the baby eventually found safe and well at a camping ground north of Nelligen near Bateman’s Bay in New South Wales.

The man and the child’s mother were arrested nearby and extradited to the ACT.

The man has pleaded guilty to offences including involvement in abducting a child and aggravated burglary.

He will be sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court next year.”

Man pleads guilty over involvement in abducting baby from Barnardos care house in Canberra [ABC 12/15/15]

“A man who assisted in the abduction of an 18-month-old girl last year has expressed remorse for the crime in a sentencing hearing today.

The man told the ACT Supreme Court he feared the baby’s mother would leave him, and that drove him to be involved in the abduction.

The man pleaded guilty to entering the foster home where the girl was living, and taking her from staff at knifepoint.

He also used a toy gun during the incident.

The man told the court the mother wanted to kidnap the girl months before the offence, but he refused to help her.

He said he told her repeatedly she should wait for her court hearing regarding contact hours with her daughter.

The court heard it was not until a week before the offence that he agreed to help the woman after she blackmailed him about their relationship.

The man said the baby’s mother told him she would leave him if he did not help her.

“I never wanted to go along with kidnapping [the baby] because I knew it was wrong,” he said.

“I told myself, if I don’t do this I’m going to lose [my partner].”

The court also heard the man felt remorse for the impact his actions had on those at the foster home.

He said he was aware of the “immense fear and stress” he caused the victims, their family and friends.”

Man who abducted 1yo from foster care ‘pressured by girl’s mother’ [ABC 2/24/16 by Georgia Hitch]

“A 22-year-old Canberra man who helped abduct an 18-month-old girl from a Barnardos care house in August last year has been sentenced to two years jail by the ACT Supreme Court.

The girl was abducted during a supervised visit by the child’s mother, when the man went into the home with a knife and toy gun and told the Barnardos worker to lay on the ground and count to 100.

The man previously told the court he feared the baby’s mother would leave him, and that drove him to be involved in the abduction.

He pleaded guilty to entering the foster home where the girl was living, and taking her from staff at knifepoint.

The court heard the man was on his way to turn himself in at Braidwood when he was arrested the next day.

The court also heard the pair had been planning to abduct the child for some time.

Justice John Burns told the court they had established a campsite in New South Wales, which they moved to another area after the crime, with enough provisions for a prolonged period.

The facts before the court record that the pair aborted the first attempt to abduct the child during a visit, when a male Barnardos worker turned up.

But the two succeeded the following day when the usual staff member came to the care house for the supervised visit.

The evidence included text conversations between the man and the child’s mother telling him the female worker was at the house and the door was unlocked.

At an earlier hearing the man said he had committed the crime because he feared the child’s mother would leave him if he did not help.

Today during sentencing, Justice Burns told him “I accept that you committed these offences because you feared the co-accused would leave you”.

“I accept your co-accused instigated it,” he said.

He also told the man he believed he had only sought to reunite the child with her mother, and did not intend any harm.

“You are an immature and insecure young man,” Justice Burns said.

Justice Burns said he also took into account the fact the man had pleaded guilty.

He was sentenced to a total of two years jail, for aggravated burglary and unlawfully taking a child.

A non-parole period of one year was set, meaning the man will be eligible for parole in August.”

Man who abducted 1yo from foster care sentenced to two years jail [ABC 2/29/16 by Elizabeth Byrne]

REFORM Puzzle Piece