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Take Baby to Doctor
Go to Jail
January 26, 2012 permalink
Virginia Beach parents Rebecca Guzzo and Donald Magee had trouble with their baby's nutrition, so went to a doctor for help. The doctor reported them to CPS and they are now charged with felony child neglect. There is a text report enclosed and video (flv).
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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WTKR) A Virginia Beach couple has been charged with felony child neglect. Police say they weren't feeding their five-month-old properly. But they're telling NewsChannel 3 that it’s being blown way out of proportion.
“It hurts my heart because I had no idea. I’m totally shocked because both of them are very, very nice people, and I can`t see them outwardly neglecting anybody or anything,” says neighbor Debra Lane.
Magee and Guzzo wanted to talk to NewsChannel 3 about their side of the story but their lawyer told them not to.
They did tell us off camera that this has been blown way out of proportion. Their neighbor Debra Lane agrees.
“They had noticed the baby wasn`t picking up weight as it was getting older, and they were trying different formulas and different cereals to make her try and gain weight,” says Lane.
Lane, a mother of two, says Magee even went to her for help.
“I know that the baby has had problems with weight and I tried to give Rebecca some advice on how to fatten her up. I gave her old-fashioned remedies. I didn`t know the problem was really serious,” says Lane.
Police say the couple took their daughter to the doctor and he noticed that the baby was losing weight instead of gaining it. The doctor called Child Protective Services, who then called police.
After a detective investigated, charges were made.
Lane just hopes police learn it was just a misunderstanding.
“They`ve gotten so strict with child abuse these days, anybody can be blamed. Just doing the right thing you can be blamed for child abuse,” says Lane.
The baby is at home with her parents and other family members. Child Protective Services ruled that the child cannot be left alone with either parent.
The family says that the little girl is doing great.
Source: WTKR-TV Norfolk
