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Despite child sex abuse complaints, judge orders child to home where crime allegedly occurred
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TICKFAW - Embattled Judge Jeffrey Cashe, who became internationally known for awarding custody of a child born from a rape to the rapist, is once again facing backlash over decisions he made in a different custody case.
It involves a seven-year-old girl who alleged she was molested by a registered sex offender and his brother last year. Both men, Rodney Magee and his brother Patch Magee, were arrested for the alleged crime. Their cases are pending.
Despite their arrests, court records show Judge Jeffrey Cashe made the child attend unsupervised visits with the child's mother at the home where the alleged abuse took place. Brett Schliegelmeyer, the child's father, said even the Department of Children and Family Services is perplexed by this case. The child does not share her father's last name.
"I was asked why was I sending my daughter back in that home where the abuse happened before," Schliegelmeyer said. "I said I was being forced by Judge Jefferey Cashe under a judgment he ordered to go there three weekends per month with unsupervised visitation."
Schliegelmeyer said they were recently granted custody of the child, but the nightmares for her have been relentless.
"She said they were messing with her down there, grabbing her, messing with her and it's just been an ongoing thing," Schliegelmeyer said.
The child's medical records that were provided to the WBRZ Investigative Unit show abuse is suspected by doctors.
"It's heartbreaking that my child would be put back in that situation," Schliegelmeyer said. "It's aggravating and upset me at first. I cried. My child is looking at me as her father to protect her, and I have to tell her she has to go back to that situation where she was harmed and hurt."
Attorney Rodney Erdey is representing Schliegelmeyer. He issued the following statement:
"Over my thirty plus years of legal practice, I have never been engaged in such domestic and custody case of this magnitude and alleged criminal conduct, i.e. where the child living with her mother and her live-in adult man, along with his brother allegedly sexually assault the child at the child's home. It should be noted that the Court initially ordered supervised custodial period for the mother but later grant the mother unsupervised custodial time and allowed the mother to take the child back where the alleged assaults occurred, i.e. home. I am very concerned over this child's health, safety and well-being, as well as how our judicial system will truly protect this child, presently and in the future."
Cashe was embroiled in controversy this summer when the WBRZ Investigative Unit exposed Crysta Abelseth's case. She was raped at the age of 16 by a 30-year-old man. Despite the rape occurring and a DNA test being part of the court record, Cashe awarded custody to the rapist and forced Abelseth to pay him child support.
Following the public outcry and exposure, Cashe reversed his decision and revoked custody.
Calls to Judge Cashe's office about this most recent case were not returned.
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