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CNN Sunday Morning

Little Martha Toogood Placed in Foster Care

Aired September 22, 2002 - 08:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The videotape seen around the world -- the Indiana mother seen on a tape has surrendered to authorities to face child beating charges. Her 4-year-old daughter now placed in foster care.
And CNN's Gary Tuchman has been following this case. He is joining us now live from Indiana with the very latest from there. Good morning, Gary.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, good morning to you. And according to this accused child abuser -- the 25- year-old mother -- this is the first night -- this last evening -- that she has ever spent without her four year old daughter, Martha. It was made necessary because the state has taken away little Martha at least temporarily while this investigation continues.

This all went down yesterday -- a surrender by this 25-year-old woman. She was then brought to jail, bonded out on $5,000 bond. But shortly before that she learned that the State of Indiana's Child Protection Services would take four year old Martha and put her temporarily with a foster family while the case is investigated and while medical attention continues to get paid to the little girl.

But the good news so far is that Martha appears to be in good condition.

Now she was very angry -- the mother -- she was also scared and she was silent. But later in the evening, to our surprise, her lawyer says he didn't anticipate this happening -- she came out and talked to reporters and she said she felt sorry for herself, sorry for her family and sorry for her daughter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MADELYNE GORMAN TOOGOOD, MOTHER: Nobody has the right to strike their child. I shouldn't have did it. I'm paying for it and my entire family is paying for it over my mistake. Everybody is paying for it. And my baby is somewhere with people she don't know thinking right now holding on to my husband's hat because my husband had to leave it because he wouldn't let her leave the room.

He wouldn't let him leave the room unless she left his baseball hat -- she was going to come back for it.

He thinks right now she's on her way back to get that baseball hat and her. I -- nobody -- why is my child paying? It's my fault so she shouldn't pay for it. It was my mistake. She shouldn't pay for it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TUCHMAN: Now, we asked Madelyne Toogood why she did this. She said that she didn't want to say specifically why because her attorney advised her not to.

We then asked her attorney later -- and this was the first time we heard anything about this -- her attorney says that she was frustrated because her little girl had gone into the Kohl's department store and started taking out toys, ripping up toys, playing hide and seek and the mother was frustrated.

The attorney says this was not the proper way to discipline a child and he says he's not going to insult a judge or a jury by saying this beating did not happen. He said he's going to be honest -- that will be the best act to take.

Arraignment will be held this Monday. After the arraignment there will be more court action. But there's a possibility on this felony battery charge of up to three years in prison for Madelyne Toogood.

Once again, as of now little Martha is in good condition living with a foster family. Catherine, back to you.

CALLAWAY: And, Gary, what about the other two children? She has three total children, right? And then the other two -- are they with family members?

TUCHMAN: That's right -- she has two other children -- two boys. One of the boys is 5, one of the boys is 6.

As of now the boys will be able to remain in her husband's custody -- that's Johnny Toogood -- her husband.

It's a little complicated because as of now the mother is not supposed to be with any of the three children. Obviously it's easy for her not to be with the daughter since she's with a foster family. But the two boys will be with the husband who she lives with.

So how that will work out ...

CALLAWAY: Yeah.

TUCHMAN: ... may be ironed out by the court starting this Monday.

CALLAWAY: And I can't let you go without asking you about her sister Margaret because since she played an important role in this in that she is now charged with failing to report child abuse.

TUCHMAN: Right. Her sister Margaret had a court date on Friday. She has been freed on bond also. And -- yes -- she faces the possibility of up to six months in prison for her alleged role in this. CALLAWAY: All right, Gary -- thank you very much for the update -- Gary Tuchman.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 22, 2002 - 08:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The videotape seen around the world -- the Indiana mother seen on a tape has surrendered to authorities to face child beating charges. Her 4-year-old daughter now placed in foster care.
And CNN's Gary Tuchman has been following this case. He is joining us now live from Indiana with the very latest from there. Good morning, Gary.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, good morning to you. And according to this accused child abuser -- the 25- year-old mother -- this is the first night -- this last evening -- that she has ever spent without her four year old daughter, Martha. It was made necessary because the state has taken away little Martha at least temporarily while this investigation continues.

This all went down yesterday -- a surrender by this 25-year-old woman. She was then brought to jail, bonded out on $5,000 bond. But shortly before that she learned that the State of Indiana's Child Protection Services would take four year old Martha and put her temporarily with a foster family while the case is investigated and while medical attention continues to get paid to the little girl.

But the good news so far is that Martha appears to be in good condition.

Now she was very angry -- the mother -- she was also scared and she was silent. But later in the evening, to our surprise, her lawyer says he didn't anticipate this happening -- she came out and talked to reporters and she said she felt sorry for herself, sorry for her family and sorry for her daughter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MADELYNE GORMAN TOOGOOD, MOTHER: Nobody has the right to strike their child. I shouldn't have did it. I'm paying for it and my entire family is paying for it over my mistake. Everybody is paying for it. And my baby is somewhere with people she don't know thinking right now holding on to my husband's hat because my husband had to leave it because he wouldn't let her leave the room.

He wouldn't let him leave the room unless she left his baseball hat -- she was going to come back for it.

He thinks right now she's on her way back to get that baseball hat and her. I -- nobody -- why is my child paying? It's my fault so she shouldn't pay for it. It was my mistake. She shouldn't pay for it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TUCHMAN: Now, we asked Madelyne Toogood why she did this. She said that she didn't want to say specifically why because her attorney advised her not to.

We then asked her attorney later -- and this was the first time we heard anything about this -- her attorney says that she was frustrated because her little girl had gone into the Kohl's department store and started taking out toys, ripping up toys, playing hide and seek and the mother was frustrated.

The attorney says this was not the proper way to discipline a child and he says he's not going to insult a judge or a jury by saying this beating did not happen. He said he's going to be honest -- that will be the best act to take.

Arraignment will be held this Monday. After the arraignment there will be more court action. But there's a possibility on this felony battery charge of up to three years in prison for Madelyne Toogood.

Once again, as of now little Martha is in good condition living with a foster family. Catherine, back to you.

CALLAWAY: And, Gary, what about the other two children? She has three total children, right? And then the other two -- are they with family members?

TUCHMAN: That's right -- she has two other children -- two boys. One of the boys is 5, one of the boys is 6.

As of now the boys will be able to remain in her husband's custody -- that's Johnny Toogood -- her husband.

It's a little complicated because as of now the mother is not supposed to be with any of the three children. Obviously it's easy for her not to be with the daughter since she's with a foster family. But the two boys will be with the husband who she lives with.

So how that will work out ...

CALLAWAY: Yeah.

TUCHMAN: ... may be ironed out by the court starting this Monday.

CALLAWAY: And I can't let you go without asking you about her sister Margaret because since she played an important role in this in that she is now charged with failing to report child abuse.

TUCHMAN: Right. Her sister Margaret had a court date on Friday. She has been freed on bond also. And -- yes -- she faces the possibility of up to six months in prison for her alleged role in this. CALLAWAY: All right, Gary -- thank you very much for the update -- Gary Tuchman.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com