Andre Curry was given probation after binding his 22-month daughter with duct-tape. He posted a photo on Facebook with the caption: “This is wut happens wen my baby hits me back 
.” He was convicted in November of aggravated battery and faced up to seven years in prison. “To use a child … as a toy or a prop in an odd attempt at humor is conduct of an insulting or provoking nature,” Cook County Circuit Judge Lawrence Flood said in November when Curry was found guilty. The Chicago Sun-Times had reported that the judge said prosecutors proved that the child was restrained with tape, obstructing her nose, which falls under the legal definition of domestic battery.
The father insists that it was all in jest. He said he was just playing with the child and didn’t mean any harm. She was only taped for about 30 seconds he said. His sister, Annastasia Curry, testified she was cooking dinner and could hear Curry and her niece laughing in the living room. She testified she went out to check on them at one point and saw the little girl covered with tape. “She was laughing; he was laughing,” the sister said. “I saw him take the tape off, and I went back in the kitchen.”
“Was this something stupid to do? No question about it,” his lawyer said. “But they’re asking you to find him guilty of some very serious charges.”
I’ve read a couple different sources for this story. Some of the comments I’ve read are disturbing. One person wrote that he should be allowed to punish her anyway he wants to. Another said I was duct-taped when I was bad and I turned out okay.
Here’s my take:
I think what he did was incredibly stupid. It sets a precedent whereas this girl grows up thinking that being taped or tied up in “jest” is okay. There is no way to know that some other person does not have mal-intent when taping her. I also don’t think you should bind your child. The fact he posted it on Facebook makes it even worse. I don’t think he should face 7 years in prison though. From all accounts this truly was done in jest (albeit incredibly stupidly so) and there appears to have been no harm to the daughter. He does need to learn his lesson though.
Remember: As I have written about before, if you post something on social media it isn’t private anymore.
And most importantly, especially when it comes to caring for your child, think a little before you do something you think is “funny.”
What do you think?
Should he have been imprisoned?
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Twitter: @adrakontaidis & @talkrealdebate
