Lisa Zuniga Duran, a former teacher's aide who was impregnated by a 13-year-old boy she raped while at a church school, fought for custody of her three-year-old daughter. Duran was given the lenient sentence of 30 days in jail, 10 years probation and a $500 fine for her molesting of the 13-year-old back in April of 2003. I'm sure those 30 days in jail really set her straight and will ensure that she doesn't molest other little boys for the rest of her life.
Here's the back story on the fight for custody and the results of the fight below. The fact she's in court and not rotting in prison is just a testament to the lack of penalties being handed down by our criminal justice system ... even in Texas.
Click2Houston
Zuniga was pregnant Jan. 24, 2003, when she pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child. Her daughter was born on Feb. 7, 2003.
The boy's family allowed Duran to initially raise the girl as long as they were granted visitation rights and Duran was supervised.
The now-17-year-old student and his parents want custody of the child, and said Duran, a registered sex offender, should not raise the girl.
...
"When it comes to my criminal case, I plead guilty. But when it comes to me being a bad mother, I’m not guilty," Duran said in August 2005.
Duran also testified Tuesday. She broke down as she described her fears of being separated from her daughter.
She said she worried that the child would be exposed to physical and emotional abuse if she's sent to live with the boy and his parents.
There ya have it folks, an admitted pedophile and child molester tries to blame the victim and make them seem like horrible people. Now one thing of note is that the 17-year-old has already knocked up his girlfriend and plans to support the two kids with a "night job". If it weren't for the fact that his parents were going to help raise the child I'd be against this, but I simply can't side with this sicko.
Which way do you think the judge ruled? Well here's your answer:
Houston Chronicle
After two days of testimony, state District Judge Doug Warne ordered Lisa Zuniga Duran, 30, to continue caring for the child as the primary parent. The girl's father, Andrew Gallardo, 17, of Edmond, Okla., was granted visitation.
Gallardo and his mother, Tammy Ambriz, filed suit seeking custody of the child after Duran stipulated their visits with the child be supervised. Since Gallardo and his family had not seen the child in seven months, Duran said she and her daughter's therapist thought it best to have someone familiar to the girl be present.
...
The judge's order calls for Gallardo to see his daughter two weekends a month with someone familiar to the child present. Starting in September, the visitation period will be extended with visits unsupervised beginning in November. In June 2007, Gallardo will be able to have his daughter for a week.
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Gallardo, who will turn 18 next month, was ordered to pay Duran $50 a month in child support. The judge ordered him to take a parenting class by September.
Wow! Have you stopped shaking your head yet? The victim is run through the ringer on this one. I have nothing against the parenting classes, but being ordered to pay child support for a child conceived when he was 13 by being raped ... WTF!
If anything Lisa Zuniga Duran should be paying him, since he is the victim of her crime. What happens to the boy if he doesn't pay the child support? Does he go to jail? That would just be the most asinine thing in the world.
This is just ridiculous. What do you think of this decision?
Tipped by: The Education Wonks, where EdWonk has his reaction posted.
