Hobbs Step-mom Allegedly Beats Three-year-old to Death
By: Candace Hutchins
Updated: January 16, 2008
Abuse allegations heat up against a Hobbs woman accused of beating her three-year-old step-son to death. A former babysitter made the allegations Contessa Herring and Child Protective Services responded.
"I wouldnt say there is a history of violence. there are a history of reports that we have investigated", says Greg Cunningham, Amarillo CPS. And three-year-old Julian's former babysitter, Annie Jones, filed several of thise reports. She tells a different story.
"I called about them telling me they put alcohol in the baby's sippy cup 'cause it was funny to see him stagger around", says Jones, "I also called about him having a black eye."
The allegations of abuse date back to October of 2006. Black eyes and bruises that Julian's family say came from him falling. But, Contessa admits to punching Julian in the head prior to his death. And CPS wished they could have prevented it but says they couldn't.
"We interviewed the parents, the children, the neighbors, anybody we could, and we couldn't find enough evidence to prove that there was violence in this family", says Cunningham, "We did what we were supposed to do. We conducted our investigations. Just because there wasn't abuse before doesn't mean it couldn't happen later."
Contessa Herring is being held in the Lea County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond.
