Manslaughter Charges Dismissed Against Mom

Manslaughter Children Killed A judge has dismissed charges against a young mother accused in the deaths of her two sons.

by Jessica Taloney

Published: Fri, February 20, 2009 - 6:20 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, February 20, 2009 - 6:29 pm CST

Charges against a Mobile mother accused in the deaths of her two young sons have been dropped.

Judge Robert Smith dismissed the manslaughter charges against Joy Watkins, 24, after he said the state did not produce enough evidence.

The judge told prosecutors they could move forward with a misdeamor charge of criminally negligent homicide, but the District Attorney's office decided against it.

Watkins five and six year old sons died in a Motel fire in February 2007. The boys were left alone while their mother worked an overnight shift at a nearby fast food restaraunt.

WKRG.com » News Stream » Mardi_gras

Photo
Map

WKRG.com Related

News –› Alabama

News –› Mobile

Discuss this in the forum

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

mustuknow Says:

Sun, Feb 22, 2009 at 3:46 pm

All of you who are so quick to judge her where were you when she didn’t have anyone to watch her kids??? She is ridiculed if she is on welfare, told to get a job and support herself and her kids. She gets a job and has no available daycare or friends to care for her children for her to work.

I do not condone leaving children unattended but we have created a society where we do not want to be bothered with others.

I watched a documentary on 20/20 I believe, about the teen pregnancy rate and infant death rate of children born to teens in Memphis and it was staggering. What stuck in my head was one woman from the good side of the tracks was participating in a mentoring program for one of these young mothers. She helped her financially and emotionally. She took her to doctors appointment, helped pay for daycare for her to finish high school, but most important she took the time to teach her how to take care of her child and in the end didn’t ask for anything in return.

queent Says:

Sun, Feb 22, 2009 at 1:48 pm

well some parents have to do what they have to do to make a living when they don’t have help and if some kids can’t be control some people will not watch them so don’t be so quick to judge cause i know some of you have left your kids at home or left them at home with a under age babysitter!!!!! Ms.watkins will be in my prays i have been there

framkly Says:

Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 2:46 pm

It’s not Judge Smith, the DA’s office did a poor job. If someone needs voting out, look there.

DEW26M Says:

Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 8:25 am

Mom2AngelBaby, I could not agree with you more.

Mom2AngelBaby Says:

Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 8:23 am

For goodness sakes what more evidence does he need. They were left alone and lost there lives due to there own mothers poor judgement! Faulty heaters BULL DONKY. THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN LEFT ALONE PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Espically in a place as trashy as the BAMA MOTEL where you can rent a room by the hour. I guess if someone would have broken in and murder or molested them it would have been that persons fault…No bottom line is she is guilty for there deaths in my opinion. Surely lots of you will agree with me…

Violator Says:

Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 6:12 am

Judge Robert Smith is what happened to our justice system. Vote him out during the next election please.

mizcat Says:

Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 5:08 am

Two innocent lives are lost and she wont be getting anything but a slap on the wrist. what is happending to our justice system.