Court Updates for Detroit “Freezer Mom”

April 16, 2015 Abuse and Neglect Attorney

 

There were a number of outbursts during a recent hearing in the Wayne County juvenile court, where officials are pressing forward in their efforts to terminate Mitchelle Blair’s parental rights. The “Freezer Mom” is currently also facing murder and torture charges after two of her children’s bodies were found in a freezer inside her apartment.

The two murdered children were 13-year-old Stoni and 9-year-old Steven. The remaining two children, a boy aged 8 and a girl aged 17, have since been taken into state custody and placed into the care of a family member.

The state is also seeking to terminate the parental rights of the two fathers, both of whom apparently owe thousands in child support. The state is accusing the two men of failure to protect their children from Blair. Both men are claiming that they would have liked to have seen their children over the years, but Blair prevented them.

However, during the hearing the subject of visitation was raised, prompting an outburst from the “Freezer Mom” – the second of the day. “Unsupervised?” she shouted, when the option was mentioned. “He’s never given a %#&*@ about my daughter. Never. Never. You understand what I’m saying?”

Alexander Dorsey, the father of deceased Stoni Blair and her still living 17-year-old sister, was present and sitting at the same table as Blair when she shouted at the court. He remained silent and didn’t respond to her at all.

Blair began to shout at him, asking him how many birthdays he had missed and calling him a drunk. Deputies attempted to quiet her, but when she wouldn’t stop shouting, they forcibly escorted her from the courtroom. She shouted all the way out and could be heard still shouting while out in the hallway.

This was apparently Blair’s second outburst of the day. Earlier, while handcuffed before the hearing had even begun, Blair accused Dorsey of being an alcoholic and a bad parent.

In the end, the judge denied the two father’s requests for unsupervised visits, and ordered instead that the children may see their respective fathers during supervised visits only. Alexander Dorsey was present for the entire hearing, but Steven Berry, the father of deceased Stephen and his 8-year-old brother, didn’t arrive until the end of the hearing.

According to Wayne County Circuit Judge Edward Joseph, the two fathers have each only had one supervised visit with their child. Should they wish to have unsupervised visits in the future, they need to come back and make a request after they have had more time with their children.

UPDATE: Detroit’s “Freezer Mom”: How Are Her Surviving Kids Doing Now?