Parents play a significant role in molding the behavior and attitude of their children.
The way they act and interact with others reveals their upbringing and the environment in which they are growing up. And you get to decide how your child develops later on and what kind of person he will be. Their conduct, social skills, and capacity for situational adaptation will be shaped in part by the familial roots on which you construct your life. And your parenting style has the biggest impact on this environment!
And when it comes to parenting, there is a great deal of diversity among families.
Every parent has a different approach in how to interact and guide their children. A child’s morals, principles, and conduct are generally established through this bond.
However, for Ronald Jackson a father from Texas, just experienced a horrifying incident that he can’t imagine he would. He was arrested and spends a night in jail for taking his daughter’s Phone as Punishment!
Parents regularly take away their children’s cell phones and other items as punishment but it’s rare for such actions to become criminal offenses.
After taking his daughter’s phone, Ronald Jackson, 36, was accused of theft. In September 2013, Ronald Jackson confiscated his daughter’s phone after discovering a text on it that he believed to be impolite and inappropriate. His daughter was 12 at the time. She was allegedly sending “inappropriate” texts about trying to organize an attack on another minor.
But Michelle Steppe, the child’s mother, objected to his behavior and reported it to the police. Then, A few hours later, officers from the Grand Prairie Police Department arrived on the scene and asked Jackson to hand over the phone, but he refused to do so.
“I didn’t want the police department telling me how to parent my child. It made no sense to me for them to show up and make a big deal out of something that was a small thing. I couldn’t believe they would go to this extent for a cell phone. It didn’t seem right.” Jackson told KHOU 11 News.
However, after rejecting a plea offer that would have required him to turn over the phone, three months later Jackson received a ticket in the mail, and the Dallas County District Attorney upgraded the theft charges to a Class B misdemeanor, which carries a $2,000 fine and six months in jail.
Jackson has been complaining about “police bullying” ever since his arrest and says he is the most recent victim of police personnel who is greedy for authority.
“Why would you need to go arrest somebody for something like that? Don’t you have better things to do as a police officer? Aren’t there bigger crimes in the city to go take care of?” Jackson said.
A warrant for Jackson’s arrest was issued more than a year later, and at 2 in the morning in April 2015, Jackson, who was unaware of the warrant, was taken into custody at his residence and arrested, where he was held for one night. He was released after posting $1,500 cash bail.
The child’s mother, at the time, viewed the situation differently. Despite being on the child’s father’s data plan, she claimed she bought the phone and it belonged to her.
During the trial, Steppe testified to the jury that the day her daughter’s phone was taken away for disciplinary reasons, she called the police.
“You can’t take someone’s property, regardless if you’re a parent or not,” Steppe said.
It sounds like a ridiculously heavy-handed reaction from the authorities and the judge in the case certainly thought so.
Fortunately, Jackson was found not guilty by the jury following a two-day trial, according to Dallas County Criminal Court Judge Lisa Green, who ruled that the state had not presented enough evidence to support the case.
“It was a huge weight off my shoulders,” Jackson said. Although, Jackson also still has possession of the iPhone 4, saying “I had to make sure I stood my ground and showed that when she’s with me, I’m going to be able to parent her as I see fit.”
However, the entire ordeal has destroyed his relationship with his daughter, Jackson claims. Skylar, his daughter, gave a two-day trial testimony that was used against him. And even has requested that he assign her all of his parental rights. She is no longer interested in interacting with him.
“I have to separate myself from them. I can’t ever have a relationship with them again.” He said.
More than 10,000 comments were made regarding the article by viewers, some of which were as follows: “In 10 years, drinking water is going to be illegal, followed by breathing in 30 years.”
“The mom should be blamed for this. She is using her kid to get back at the dad! Despicable mom!”
Well, this high-profile case serves as an example of how occasionally, a little issue or family conflict can lead to criminal charges based on the thinnest of evidence.
Watch the video below:
Sources: AWM, Findlaw, Washingtonpost
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