Chicago Man Indicted Over Photo of Bound Daughter
Email
(Facebook)
A Chicago man who said he and his toddler daughter were playing when he bound her hand and foot, taped her mouth closed, and took a photograph of her that he posted on Facebook has been indicted on felony charges.
Andre Curry, 21, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery and unlawful restraint for allegedly binding his 22-month-old daughter’s hands and feet with blue tape, placing another piece of tape over her mouth, then snapping a photo that he posted on line. The caption read: “This is wut happens wen my baby hits me back (-;”
The photo quickly made its way into the hands of police. Curry told investigators he and his daughter were joking around after he found her playing with a roll of painter’s tape, but prosecutors were not amused. If convicted of the most serious charge, he could face up to seven years in prison.
Curry’s attorney said the case had been “blown out of proportion” due to the quick spread of the photo on the Internet.
Pastor Torrey Barrett, who said he has been counseling Curry in jail since his arrest last month, said the man needs guidance, not prison time.
“There was no intent to cause harm to his daughter,” Barrett said. “He’s a young guy who had a youthful indiscretion, an error in judgment. He thought it was humorous and it wasn’t.”
Curry and the child’s mother share custody of the little girl, and Curry was heartbroken to spend Christmas alone in jail, instead of with his daughter, Barrett said.
“This young man could use some guidance, some counseling and that’s what we think happened,” Barrett said. “He made a mistake, used poor judgment and did something he truly regrets.”
Curry has no previous police record, and some people who know him describe him as a devoted single dad who works at Applebee’s to support himself and his family. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said they had no previous contact with Curry’s family and that the child was not injured.
Curry’s bond was set at $100,000 and he was banned him from any contact with his child and from using the Internet. Curry’s family is unable to raise enough money to bail him out.
Curry is due back in court Jan. 26, and his lawyer plans to file a motion to reduce bond.
Barrett and others have formed a group called Citizens Concerned for Andre Curry. They are collecting signatures on a petition to try to sway the judge to let Curry go free.
“It will do more harm to him, his daughter and society if he were to spend time in jail,” Barrett said. “The best thing for him is to let him out and let him tell his story. He can warn others not to make the same mistake.”
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
“This is wut happens wen my baby hits me back (-;” ……but he was just playing with the child after finding a roll of painter’s tape? Blown out of proportion, claims his attorney? IDGAF how much they try to sugar coat it, this is abuse. What enrages me is this POS thinks it’s a joke. I say he should be tied up in the same exact manner, and put on display in a public place like Time’s Square, with a sign that explains the reasons behind his punishment. Let the rest of the world decide if it’s funny or not.
Posted by: Mobalajee | January 10, 2012, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
This is wut happens wen U do reckless and stupid to children.
Posted by: Papa Bear | January 10, 2012, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm
Being arrested and charged should be all the “guidance ” and “counseling” he needs. Let’s see if this idiot makes the same mistake again.
Posted by: msyellarose | January 10, 2012, 6:14 pm 6:14 pm
a joke huh??? I think this kid needs some serious counselling and doesn’t deserve to b a dad.
Posted by: Charlie | January 10, 2012, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm
This has been going on since the 70s and it was always very funny and harmless. Now you’re a criminal, your life is turned upside down, your kid is taken away and you’re thrown in jail. Give me a freaking break.
Posted by: kim | January 10, 2012, 7:13 pm 7:13 pm
This is abuse and has nothing to do with what was in the father’s mind or how he felt, what matters is what the poor little girl was going through. It doesn’t mean that the father can’t be retrained to do better, though, and definitely seven years in prison doesn’t help anyone… supervised visits and many hours of parenting classes is what is needed. But the worst thing I saw that wasn’t even mentioned were the 40 “likes” his picture had gotten! That is disgusting,too!
Posted by: rebrog | January 10, 2012, 7:19 pm 7:19 pm
Idiotic waste of taxpayer money and government resources. There has been a humorous picture circulating for years on the internet where someone duck taped their baby to a wall (safely). Should that person be tracked down and put in jail as well then? Taxpayer money would be better used keeping real criminals in jail longer.
Posted by: GeorgeX | January 10, 2012, 7:31 pm 7:31 pm
Just when I thought white people were idiots for doing harm to children. This Black, fish faced fool has to pull this sh!t. Thanks N!gga, you just proved me wrong.
Posted by: Solow | January 10, 2012, 7:36 pm 7:36 pm
My kids would LOVE it if I would do this with them. I wouldn’t want to waste the $7 worth of painters tape though. Kids love this kind of rough housing if that’s the spirit it’s done in. Who didn’t beg to be tied to a chair or a tree or tied up with a jump rope when playing cowboys & native americans? I would say the look on the baby’s face would tell if she’s having fun or if she’s afraid and tearful. Unfortunately it’s blurred out.
Posted by: hooha | January 10, 2012, 7:43 pm 7:43 pm
Justice is not about what the guy meant to do, what the victim went through or even what the victim wants to happen. I have no idea where any of you got that concept, but it has nothing to do with anything.
It’s exclusively about WHAT HAS BEEN DONE. There is a very good reason why “justice is blind.”
Posted by: AmericaThePitiful | January 10, 2012, 7:43 pm 7:43 pm
Those people who claim this is an internet joke should realize the government has no sense of humor and when handed a scenario like this on a silver platter the prosecutors will take the ball and run. If you walk into a bank with a note that nicely requests, “give me all your money, ha, ha!” you’re going to jail. And it’s the same mentality that says water boarding isn’t torture that believes taping up a 22 month old isn’t going to frighten her. What a putz! I used to believe that stupid people shouldn’t be punished for doing stupid things. I was wrong.
Posted by: woodrow | January 10, 2012, 7:44 pm 7:44 pm
The guy does something stupid – but now Prosecutor and Judges tear the family apart, burden them with legal costs and essentially destroy the family. Who is the real criminal here??
Posted by: TP | January 10, 2012, 7:47 pm 7:47 pm
Scuse me. *Duct* taped.
Posted by: GeorgeX | January 10, 2012, 7:48 pm 7:48 pm
The parasitic Prosecutor and Judges are the real criminals here – tearing apart a family so they can keep themselves busy and make money on one guys mistake. Jail for Judges!
Posted by: TP | January 10, 2012, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
It was sadistic and wierd BUT… there are people who beat their children repeatedly and don’t spend jail time!
Posted by: Julie | January 10, 2012, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
Every child has a right to feel safe in their own home. It is the best gift you can give as a parent. This girl is too young to understand what her dad did to her, so I really doubt that it was all in good fun. Most toddlers at this age hate being restricted. Hopefully, this has opened the man’s eyes and he will step up his game at being a better dad.
Posted by: Aquia | January 10, 2012, 8:09 pm 8:09 pm
This guy crossed the line. He even posted that it was because she hit him. Now he’s changing his story that it’s all a funny joke since he’s sitting in jail for it. Funny baby pictures do not include bondage with tape.
Posted by: Lisa | January 10, 2012, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm
omg i use to tape my son all the time he begged me. hes 15 and still waste the tape to tape himself or his cousins. like one other said if she is in trouble u could tell by her face. gosh we did this all the time growing up. but u never no i was not there just saying kids love this kind of thing wish i could c her face that could explain alot.
Posted by: anastasia wood | January 10, 2012, 8:24 pm 8:24 pm
Yeah! He will get 25 to life while the other Chicago gangster ruins the whole country!
Posted by: BIG JIMMY | January 10, 2012, 8:30 pm 8:30 pm
This is crazy…The ‘justice’ system these days are so ate up and foaming at the mouth to prosecute someone now days. This guy was CLEARLY messing around with his kid, and that’s just it. You may not agree with it and you may not do something like that with your kid, but it doesn’t mean you tell other people how or what they can do with their kids. Things like this NEVER used to be a big deal, and parents would play around with their kids like this. I had things similar happen to me when I was growing up, and it in NO WAY hurt me or scarred me for life. As a whole people are just completely ignorant idiots now days. The more advanced humans get, the dumber they get. I personally can’t stand the way people act, and seeing how many of you think this guy should crucified, just because you don’t agree with the way he does things, well you need to get a life and stay out of other people’s lives. I HIGHLY doubt that if he were abusing his child – then he wouldn’t post it on facebook you idiots.
Posted by: Anon | January 10, 2012, 8:43 pm 8:43 pm
“This is wut happens wen my baby hits me back” ~~~~~~ Read those last three words again. This is what happens when his baby hits him ****BACK.**** Not when his baby hits him, not when they are having ‘fun’ together, but when she hits BACK. The man’s first statement concerning the picture and what occurred is his most accurate and honest one. The rest is BS.
Posted by: Minorkey1 | January 10, 2012, 9:00 pm 9:00 pm
I was just notified that my email was hacked and posts are being made without my consent. I do not agknowledge any comments on here and personal information is posted on here without my knowledge
Posted by: the real KEVIN LADEWIG | January 10, 2012, 9:00 pm 9:00 pm
I wonder what he thought he was teaching this child when he bound and gagged her. For a real life’s lesson, this thug should be severely punished so that he knows knows child abuse is a serious offense. Most of all, he should lose parental rights to that child. The mother can do a better job raising the child. This type of abuse make children grow up to be criminals and abusers themselves.
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 10, 2012, 11:57 pm 11:57 pm
____”This has been going on since the 70s and it was always very funny and harmless. Now you’re a criminal, your life is turned upside down, your kid is taken away and you’re thrown in jail. Give me a freaking break.”
POSTED BY: KIM | JANUARY 10, 2012, 7:13 PM 7:13 PM_______________Kim, do you tie and gag your kids for a laugh?
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 11, 2012, 12:00 am 12:00 am
___”This is abuse and has nothing to do with what was in the father’s mind or how he felt, what matters is what the poor little girl was going through. It doesn’t mean that the father can’t be retrained to do better, though, and definitely seven years in prison doesn’t help anyone… supervised visits and many hours of parenting classes is what is needed. But the worst thing I saw that wasn’t even mentioned were the 40 “likes” his picture had gotten! That is disgusting,too!”
POSTED BY: REBROG | JANUARY 10, 2012, 7:19 PM 7:19 PM______________I bet you that child was shocked and confused the way she was treated. The ultimate indignation was that the “father” posted the whole thing on the Internet. A parent should not disgrace a child.
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 11, 2012, 12:07 am 12:07 am
Most of you are turning this tragedy into a joke and a euphemism. What matters is the imagery the this despicable act can have on the minds of other children who see it. No responsible parent would do this to a child.
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 11, 2012, 12:17 am 12:17 am
By the way, is he taking classes in English grammar while in jail?
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 11, 2012, 12:20 am 12:20 am
It doesn’t matter if they were just ‘playing.’ It doesn’t matter if he thought it was a joke. It doesn’t matter if the child thought it was fun and is actually giggling behind the blurred face. The father deserves to be in jail for the simple fact that he’s an absolute idiot for posting something like this on Facebook.
Posted by: Sherri | January 11, 2012, 2:00 am 2:00 am
What is wrong with you people that think taping up a 2 yr old is a game? This is normal? Where the hell are you from? Get out of here, real parents (not to mention HUMANS) don’t need you breathing our air!
Posted by: Wow | January 11, 2012, 3:28 am 3:28 am
If people ever come back to life, all I can say is Lord don’t let me be born to this type of a “parent.”
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 11, 2012, 5:42 am 5:42 am
____”My kids would LOVE it if I would do this with them. I wouldn’t want to waste the $7 worth of painters tape though. Kids love this kind of rough housing if that’s the spirit it’s done in. Who didn’t beg to be tied to a chair or a tree or tied up with a jump rope when playing cowboys & native americans? I would say the look on the baby’s face would tell if she’s having fun or if she’s afraid and tearful. Unfortunately it’s blurred out.”
POSTED BY: HOOHA | JANUARY 10, 2012, 7:43 PM 7:43 PM_____________HOOHA, Child Protective Services might want to talk to you about your parenting skills.
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 11, 2012, 5:48 am 5:48 am
Abuse… Gimme a effin break, you people are just as bad as these slime prosecutors looking for any reason to ruin someones life. How could this not be done in fun, hehe steal my tape ill show you…get it now? No, i know you never will… Get over yourselves and your twisted morals.
Posted by: Shaun | January 11, 2012, 6:03 am 6:03 am
To a certain degree, I would agree that kids think it’s funny to be taped up, etc. What makes it not funny is his comment when he posted the pic. Why post that comment if they were just messing around and the kid wanted taped up?!?!
Posted by: Lee | January 11, 2012, 10:55 am 10:55 am
What is funny to me is that this guy could get 7 years in prison for this & yet rapist & molesters walk free everyday. This country has things backwards & I just don’t even know what to say anymore. It was dumb of him to do it & he should have been punished but this is very small compared to all the abuse that is overlooked in our courts EVERY DAY!
Posted by: Brandon | January 11, 2012, 2:46 pm 2:46 pm
This is wut happens when my daddy binds and gags me and posts it on Facebook. Make him serve in an abused children’s shelter.
Posted by: Jack | January 11, 2012, 7:52 pm 7:52 pm
This is all HOGWASH! The kid wasn’t in any real danger! It was just a dad playing with his kid. Look at all the movies, including Disney movies, where a child is bound and gagged. It’s all right for Hollywood to do it, but not a kid’s own parents? C’mon! I’m a dad and I’ve hogtied my kids, and cuffed them, and played cops and robbers, cowboys and indians, etc. No one’s ever thought I was a criminal behind it. I’m going to throw race in here, because I’m certain that had it been a white dad this wouldn’t be where it is.
Posted by: Crispin | January 15, 2012, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm
This is stupid. My parents taped my mouth as a kid both as a joke AND b/c I was running it 2 much. IV never taped my kids’ mouths as punishment, but playing around? Yes! My 2 yr old thinks its hilarious. & wants her mouth & mine taped w/anything sticky she can find: duct tape, Scotch tape, bandaids, stickers. It is not abuse!!! The child’s being abused by having her father lokd up & taken away from her. Lets focus on locking up REAL abusers & saving REAL victims, nsted of making it hard 4 ppl 2 even take the topic seriously b/c sum weirdos wanna call sumthin harmless & innocent n2 “assault”. Unless he was stoking her n a closet or car trunk after taping her, this is a DEPLORABLE overreaction 2 nothing. Lets get back 2 PARENTS raisin the kids nsted of DHS.
Posted by: melinda labeff | January 26, 2012, 2:43 am 2:43 am