Juvenile judge may face neglect charges: DA will decide after probe is over
Juvenile judge may face neglect charges
DA will decide after probe is over
By STEVE VISSER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A Fulton County Juvenile Court judge could face child neglect charges in the very courthouse she works in for leaving her 4-year-old daughter home alone at night. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said he is awaiting the outcome of a police investigation before deciding whether to take action against Hickson.
Chief Juvenile Court Judge Nina Hickson has
admitted to leaving her daughter at night to run an errand -- which resulted in the girl being found wandering coatless and shoeless on the street about midnight Nov. 29.Prosecutors, psychologists and child advocates say
parents routinely are prosecuted in Juvenile Court for similar acts of neglect -- usually as the misdemeanor of contributing to the deprivation of a minor -- and placed on supervisory probation.
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State social workers already have
cited Hickson for neglect but closed the case on Dec. 5, calling it a one-time incident....snip...
Former Cobb County District Attorney Tom Charron said authorities need to investigate any case thoroughly that involves a judge to
reassure the public the judge isn't getting special treatment."Elected official has greater responsibility and they should be held to a higher standard," he said.