Mom beats children's football coach over molestation allegations
theGRIO REPORT - A Tennessee mother faces criminal charges after she nearly beat a kids' football coach to death with a baseball bat over claims he molested her sons...
“If [the allegations are] it’s true, I hate it, but if it’s not, I want these people to pay for beating up my grandson like they did,” said Massey.
“We see a fair amount of vigilante justice when it comes to child molestation cases, partly because of the dehumanization and devaluation of child sex offenders,” said David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire.
On a cultural level, with the negative stereotypes, people feel they are entitled to treat child sex offenders badly, said Finkelhor. “Instinctively, parents also have a strong urge to protect their children and wreak vengeance to those who harm them.”
“I understand her anger,” said Terrance Roberts, founder of the Prodigal Son Initiative, an after-school program in Denver to prevent youth violence. “But these are unsubstantiated claims from a child. She should have let law enforcement deal with it.”
Massey’s apartment was searched by police but nothing was found and so far he has not been charged with any crime. Officers say they are still investigating the allegations.
Richmond has been charged with aggravated assault.
Earlier this year, a 23-year-old Texas father, who beat to death a man he found sexually assaulting his 5-year-old daughter, was not charged. Reportedly that dad called 911 when he realized the extent of his victim’s injuries.
Follow Kunbi Tinuoye on Twitter at @Kunbiti
