A state social worker repeated her contentions Monday that a former Georgia Tech star needed to lose custody of all 10 of their children because the kids are in danger.
But social worker Angel Jackson admitted in Gwinnett Juvenile Court that she didn’t listen to all the police interviews of the children of Recardo and Therian Wimbush before concluding they were at risk.
“I don’t know how it would have changed the recommendation,” she testified, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Jackson's testimony was a continuation of the custody hearing that began almost two weeks ago and it bolstered earlier testimony from a psychologist who evaluates children for the state Division of Family and Children Services.
DFCS is seeking to terminate the parental rights of former Georgia Tech football standout Recardo Wimbush and his wife, Therian, who have been in jail since last June after being arrested on child abuse charges. They were arrested after police learned their eldest child allegedly had been imprisoned in the basement of their home for stealing, lying and other offenses.
Earlier this month, psychologist Priscilla Faulkner said she assessed both Wimbushes at significant risk for future child abuse or neglect because they had not sought therapy for the eldest child for his offenses and because of the child’s basement exile. Her testing showed Therian might even become violent or overly aggressive, even though the behavior had not been exhibited in the past.
But, on cross examination, Faulkner was forced to admit she violated psychological protocols in giving the written tests. She admitted she failed to monitor the test taking, which could invalidate the results.
Both Faulkner and Jackson testified that they based their conclusions on the Wimbushes’ refusal to acknowledge the discipline as wrong, and because the Wimbushes had quit vaccinating their children and the kids apparently were not taken to regular medical checkups. One of the children was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer after the kids were brought into state custody.
The couple married while Recardo Wimbush, now 33, was a growing athletic star at Georgia Tech, and Therian Wimbush, 37, was pursuing an advanced engineering degree and tutoring athletes. Recardo became a supervisor at a railroad company while Therian focused on home-schooling her growing family of children — ages 2 to 14 — and professional tutoring.
About the Author
