One father is in the middle of every parent's worst nightmare. His son's mother was jailed recently on allegations of sexually abusing her infant son. The father of the child has now traveled to Ohio to fight for permanent custody of his son.

The 24-year-old mother was arrested on August 31 on allegations of rape, child endangerment and pandering sexually explicit material involving a minor. The women allegedly performed sex acts on her 10 month-old son at her boyfriend's suggestion and then sent the video to her boyfriend via e-mail. The content was discovered by the boyfriend's former girlfriend who contacted police. A warrant was issued for search of the woman's home, and she was arrested.

The child was placed in protective custody by child services. Now the boy's father, only 19 years-old, has petitioned for custody in an Ohio court. Although he is young, the father believes that he can care for his child. He said that the child's mother's actions were "disgusting," and he is hoping to protect the boy from further pain.

In determining who should have custody of a child, the courts will look to what is in the "best interests" of the child. Courts consider many factors such as:

  • The parent's ability to provide for the child
  • The parent's lifestyle and other social factors, including whether there is any history of child abuse
  • The emotional bond between parent and child

The father is disgusted and in shock over the action's of the child's mother, as is the mother's family. The veteran prosecutor involved in the case said he has never seen a rape victim so young. The maximum penalty the mother is facing is 46 years to life.

This young infant has already been through a traumatic experience. Hopefully his father will be able to successfully care for him and provide a better living environment for his future.

Source: Huffington Post, "Ashley Jessup, Ohio Mom, Accused Of Raping 10-Month-Old Son," David Lohr, Sept. 9, 2011