Katrina "Angel" Cuffed For Kidnapping Kids

Houston Woman Who Took In Family Displaced By Hurricane Claims Mother Is "Abusive"

(CBS/ AP)  A Houston woman charged with kidnapping the five children she has cared for since Hurricane Katrina, was arrested Wednesday in Houston, reports CBS affiliate KHOU-TV. The five missing children, ages 3-8, appear to be in good health and are being transported to a local Children’s Protective Services facility.

Rhonda Tavey said she kidnapped the children because their biological mother had threatened her life.

Houston authorities had issued an Amber Alert earlier Wednesday in connection to the abduction of the Houston children. The Harris County District Attorney's office charged Tavey, 44, with five counts of kidnapping.

Tavey, who is white, said all she ever wanted was to do God's will and that she also took the children, who are black, for their own safety. She said their mother, Erica Alphonse, was "abusive."

Tavey said last month she found her bank statements in the purse of Alphonse, whom she had opened her home to after the Louisiana family was devastated by Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

"When I confronted her with that, she pulled a knife and threatened to kill me. That's when I made arrangements to get the kids out," Tavey said Thursday in an online edition of the Houston Chronicle.

"Erica is trying to make herself out to be a wonderful mom," Tavey said. "She is abusive. I've seen her punch the boys ... because they're boys,'" she told the newspaper.

The newspaper reported that Alphonse denies pulling a knife on Tavey and said Tavey is lying to damage Alphonse's reputation.

In an interview with KHOU-TV Alphonse pleaded to Tavey for her children's return. "Rhonda, I'm saying this from the heart: you've been our family for three years," Alphonse said. "You've grown accustomed to loving my children and loving me. I've grown accustomed to loving you. I never thought you would do this to me."

Tavey is likely in the Dallas area, investigators believe since she gave an interview to a local television station there, KHOU reports.

The women said they worked out an agreement after meeting in Reliant Park, where Tavey had been volunteering for the American Red Cross after the hurricane. Their arrangement called for Tavey, who has two teenage daughters, to care for Alphonse's two boys and three girls who are ages 3 to 8, while Alphonse sought work to become self-sufficient.

Alphonse, calling Tavey her family's "guardian angel" after Katrina's devastation, said she told Tavey she wanted to return to her New Orleans hometown eventually, even though Tavey prayed they would remain in Houston.

Alphonse said she returned to New Orleans two years ago and left the children in Houston. She returned this summer and their arrangement turned sour, culminating in the charges against Tavey.

"I had gotten her a job, a car, set her up in an apartment," Tavey said. "I'd helped her do all that when she decided she needed to go back."

Harris County District Attorney's office spokeswoman Donna Hawkins told The Associated Press constables had contacted Tavey's attorney before filing charges against her on Monday but the woman refused to return the children.

The children are identified as:

Rod Keesa Alphonse, age 8,

Alaysa Alphonse, age 6

Yasmine Alphonse, age 4

and twin boys, Eric and Erin Alphonse, who turned 3 on Monday.

Tavey is believed to be driving a blue 2004 Chrysler Town and Country Van, Texas License: 963-PTB. Officials say Tavey may be in the Dallas-Fort Worth areas.

© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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by toldyouso12 August 7, 2008 8:40 AM PDT

If the biological mother was or is abusive to the children, Tavey had an obligation to contact CPS--what she NEVER had the right to do, was to take someone else''s children away from them based on her statements alone.

Had she called CPS, they would have investigated and interviewed the children then made a determination. Because women often want other people''s kids and do desperate things from faking pregnancies and stealing babies from hospitals to murdering the real mom and cutting her child out of her; we cannot just believe what Tavey is saying.

If she truly was threatened with a knife, she should have called the police. What does not make sense is for her to simply leave and take someone else''s children then concoct this story (which seems like a defense and a lie) If it is not a lie, Tavey will have to explain why her choice was to take the children and flee instead of calling the police due to the threats and have them remove the mother.

I think this is a case of a woman deciding that she could do a better job being a mother to someone else''s kids--and devising a ruse, story and kidnapping them in order to try to steal them away. ''''The road to he11 is paved with good intentions."

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by carlylaine August 7, 2008 9:01 AM PDT

toldyouso12

Succinct.

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by huntley42 August 7, 2008 9:04 AM PDT

It appears to me that the mother abandoned her children in Houston for two years with Tavey in order to set up her life. Tavey appears to have bonded with the children, the picture of her with her natural children and the five small children in her care shows a woman with a large family. Why was the smaller childrens mother not a part of the picture. She should have contacted the child protection agency and registered as a foster parent of those children. It could have been done legally. With her having care of the children for two years they would most likely been up for adoption by then and the natural mothers rights terminated already. To bad she didn''t go through the chanels. Tavey you need to give the children over to CPS and let them investigate what appears to be abandonment by their mother.

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by republic1776 August 7, 2008 9:22 AM PDT

How can any police officer in his or her right mind charge this woman with kidnapping?
The poor kids...

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by reedtaz73 August 7, 2008 9:23 AM PDT

Goodness, not another white man''s burden story...This Tavey woman knows better than to put the law in her own hands if abuse was the case. I think she''s a nut case as well...she might be trying to restart Jim Jones ministries with new black american blood.

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by republic1776 August 7, 2008 9:27 AM PDT

After reading some of the comments I can see that racism is still well and alive in America.
People look at the skin not the heats.
very sad

Reply to this comment

by cow9boys1 August 7, 2008 9:30 AM PDT

THE MOTHER SHOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT HER KIDS NO MATTER WHAT YOU GO THROUGH THE GOOD, BAD AND THE UGLY WITH WHAT YOU BOUGHT IN THIS WORLD.I DON''T AGREE WITH MRS. TAVEY TAKING THE KIDS.BUT SHE SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED THE AUTHORTIES, BUT THE MOTHER SHOULD''NT GET THE KIDS UNTIL SHE IS INVESTIGATED TO THE THIRD DEGREE. MAYBE THE CHILDREN WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH MRS.TAVEY! THE MOTHER WALKED AWAY FROM HER BABIES AND LEFT THEM THERE. SO SHE KNEW THEY WERE IN THE BEST PLACE FOR 2OR3 YEARS. THINK ABOUT THIS FOLKS BEFORE YOU JUDGE ON THE RACE OF ALL INVOLVED.

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by dbstevens August 7, 2008 9:38 AM PDT

This is not a racist issue, this is about the character of the people involved.

Tavey should have taken legal measures if she felt the kids were being abused. CPS would have helped her through that process.

I''m from New Orleans...I lost my home and I watched first-hand as the drama unfolded after Katrina. I saw the incredible generosity of people helping others. But I''d lived in New Orleans a long time and knew the character of some of the people involved, and I knew that we''d hear many stories of "angels" being taken advantage of, cheated and perhaps even hurt. "Angels" are easy marks for people who take advantage of others. I was touched at the kindness of people, but saddened at what was inevitable. I don''t condone Tavey''s actions...she made a huge mistake in how she handled this. But I would not be surprised to find out she was right about the abuse, and that the kids needed better.

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by kennedy7955 August 7, 2008 10:02 AM PDT

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

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by cricketbeers August 7, 2008 10:06 AM PDT

Why would the mother leave her children for two years? That''s just crazy to me! Tavey was taken advantage of. I have to wonder if the three youngest children would even have known their "mother" after all that time.

Maybe CPS needs to be involved now after all.

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by credibility2 August 7, 2008 10:18 AM PDT

The biological mother clearly abandoned her kids to Tavey, once she saw the gravy train; this mother clearly took advantage of Tavey''s good intentions, kindness and generosity. Tavey''s big mistake was showing her compassion in the first place. It doesn''t pay. People like this mother never appreciate, they just keep expecting and taking. I hope the biological mother loses her kids to the system. I hope Tavey gets minimal, if any, punishment. Her kidnapping was wrong, but motivated by concern for the biological mother. Wht Tavey did was wrong, but what this biological mother did was even worse - she abandoned her children and took advantage of the extreme generosity, kindness and giving of another person.

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by deepperppl August 7, 2008 10:31 AM PDT

Mom has a ticket for a free ride so she leaves her children behind. No different than the kids in my area being raised by their grandmothers while the mom and/or dad lives in NY, NJ, Chicago.. Most nights, they''re out partying, then sometimes they send $$ home to pay for the care of their kids by a grandma who''s on public assistance. I see it every day. So what''s different here? The mom actually wants her kids back. Good for her. Should she have abandoned them? Was it in the kids'' best interest? Who knows? All that matters is this is a mom ready to stand on her own two feet with her kids in the home. I think she deserves congratulations for wanting to be responsible for her own kids, instead of foisting them off on someone else until they are adults like so many others do.

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by ubrew12 August 7, 2008 10:31 AM PDT

There''s been a trend, accelerated during the Bush Admin, to remove governments role in disaster and poverty relief and place it in the hands of religious organizations and private individuals. Yet the reason the gov''t is a better place for this kind of ''social spending'' is precisely to avoid this kind of exchange, wherein ''good intentions'' meet ''taking advantage''. I''m sorry for both women because it got personal. It didn''t have to, but the gov''ts abilities to perform ANY public service (other than the military) has been destroyed by the Bush administration, leaving the giving public at risk in a largely predatory environment.

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by peacedreamer-2009 August 7, 2008 10:32 AM PDT

In custody cases, always get in writing what the deal is. If the mother is relinquishing her children temporarily to someone else but planning to come back for her kids when she gets everything settled and arranged, the agreement will spell out how transfer of the children is to take place. If she''s giving up her children, then that will be in the agreement. If the mother changes her mind, there will be a clause in the agreement that allows that. Without an agreement, it''s just she-said-she-said. This is going to be an ugly battle!

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by casey0157 August 7, 2008 10:37 AM PDT

Bless this woman who opened her heart and purse strings to help another in need. I''ve heard many stories good and bad regarding the Katrina disaster but I applaud this woman for caring enough, for being a good Christian and looking out for these 5 children. It makes you wonder if they would have ended up on the news when their biological mother took their lives or if they had mysteriously disappeared and not with this good woman. I admit it was not the best way to handle it but CPS traumatizes children and I''m not that keen with CPS these days. I know they are there to look out for our children but for strangers to remove children from families in horrible situations and place them with other strangers is simply too much for their young minds to comprehend. Many are scarred for life and others not so much. Think about it for a moment. I pray that no charges be filed against this angel of God. I support her 200%! I bet those children are happy and so loved! God Be With Them All!!

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by xmanborg August 7, 2008 10:41 AM PDT

No more happy meals for miss hateful its jail buffet for her.

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by bdrlnt4rl August 7, 2008 10:45 AM PDT

the mother of these kids should be charged for child abandonment. come on. this woman cared for these children for years while the mother was out ''building a new live in new orleans''. ya right. test her for drugs. go see what she has been doing in new orleans before anyone charges this woman in houston for anything.

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by tootall10142 August 7, 2008 10:52 AM PDT

There is child protection services for these type things the woman had no right to to do this and should be hung by the yardarm as example.NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW AND BUSH WILL GET HIS OR HE WILL DIE INDURING THE APPEALS PROCESS.A EX PRESIDENT WITH ONLY TWO FRIENDS AND THEY ONLY COME AROUND TO SPLIT THE TAKE ON HALLIBURTON CACHE.

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by tootall10142 August 7, 2008 10:56 AM PDT

sHE JUST HAD TO THROW GOD IN ON THE PURPOSE WHAT A SACRELIGIUOS NUT! GOD DOESNT CONDONE THE COVERT THIEF! hOW DOES SHE KNOW IT WAS HIS WILL DID HE SPEAK TO HER AND TELL HER GO AND BREAK THE LAWS OF THE LAND ?I HARDLY THINK NOT!

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by petesis August 7, 2008 10:58 AM PDT

Just goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished. This woman was pretty naive. Very good hearted though. I hope they clear this up ASAP.

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by mandalay-bay August 7, 2008 11:03 AM PDT

Why was it necessary for CBS to point out that the woman was white and the children were black? I think we can clearly see that by the picture and I fail to see what relevance it has to the story...

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by checkthepast August 7, 2008 11:22 AM PDT

Why was it necessary for CBS to point out that the woman was white and the children were black? I think we can clearly see that by the picture and I fail to see what relevance it has to the story...
Posted by MANDALAY-BAY

I AGREE COMPLETELY...UNTIL YOU READ THIS....

Typical piece of white TexASSan trash who believes she''''s entitles to whatever she wants - including somesone else''''s kids because she''''s white and she claims buybeeee jaysooooos told her she was entitled

Dump the piece of white trash in jail where she belongs
Posted by causeway_m

PREJUDICE (AND STUPIDITY) IS ALIVE AND WELL...

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by tootall10142 August 7, 2008 11:23 AM PDT

HEY CASEY! GETTING TO EAT AND DRY PLACE TO SLEEP DOESNT COUNT FOR A ACT OF KINDNESS IF YOU TURN YOU BACK ON THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.YOU MUST BE ONE THOSE OH MY! SURE ENOUGH GRANDMOTHERS!

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by talkingham August 7, 2008 11:30 AM PDT

In the world of Bush, no good deed goes unpunished!

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by casey0157 August 7, 2008 11:41 AM PDT

TooTall, why do you feel the need to bad-mouth me for stating my opinion? I was unemployed for 8 years and I''ve been homeless for over a year!! People have helped me and I am thankful to them for what they did and I repay it by paying it forward. Regardless of my being a grandmother, mother or not is a totally ignorant comment to make! You wouldn''t make it one week without a job, food, etc. I''m a child of God and I''ve proven that I am Blessed! I''m a triple minister in 2 churches and I give back big-time! What have you done for people without?? These comments regarding race, Bush, etc. are totally uncalled for as it is a woman helping children PERIOD!!


HEY CASEY! GETTING TO EAT AND DRY PLACE TO SLEEP DOESNT COUNT FOR A ACT OF KINDNESS IF YOU TURN YOU BACK ON THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.YOU MUST BE ONE THOSE OH MY! SURE ENOUGH GRANDMOTHERS!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by tootall10142 at 11:23 AM : Aug 07, 2008

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by jennmarikp August 7, 2008 11:43 AM PDT

Typical piece of white TexASSan trash who believes she''''s entitles to whatever she wants - including somesone else''''s kids because she''''s white and she claims buybeeee jaysooooos told her she was entitled

Dump the piece of white trash in jail where she belongs

Posted by causeway_m at 11:08 AM : Aug 07, 2008

Let me guess . . . you don''t consider yourself a racist? Just so you''re aware YOU ARE!

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by pvperson August 7, 2008 11:44 AM PDT

The black woman has 5 kids between the ages of 3 and 8, does that sound like someone out to BETTER herself? Remember the old song, "You knew I was a snake when you brought me in".

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by jennmarikp August 7, 2008 11:45 AM PDT

You can''t help anyone today . . . anytime you involve yourself in someone''s problems they become your problems. Yet people say "Why did everyone just stand around and watch? I can''t believe no one did anything" . . . Here''s a perfect example of why it''s better not to get involved.

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by sonogirlaz August 7, 2008 12:13 PM PDT

I think that this woman most likely meant well. However, those are not her children. You can''t just go take someones child from them because you don''t agree with the way that they are being raised. I agree that this woman is naive. It is too bad that there are so many who will take advantage of anothers kindness. I have experienced that first hand. There are a lot of aspects to this story and both women were wrong. Whatever happened between them did not give her the right to take those children, period end.

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by hidegirlgcks August 7, 2008 12:19 PM PDT

Its really sad but it happens all too often. You try to help someone out of the goodness of your heart and you get burned. hopefully the law will go easy on her. Who knows, she may have saved these kids lives in the long run.

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by blackyowe August 7, 2008 12:31 PM PDT

It sounds to me like the host Mom went way beyond normal and legal, she is not a guardian or kin. It sounds like she just didn''t want them to move away.

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by extremophil August 7, 2008 12:42 PM PDT

Neither lady sounds too bright to me. One may be an abuser and the other is doing "God''s Will". It''s no wonder that things turned out this way.

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by hidegirlgcks August 7, 2008 1:32 PM PDT

Give them a ferocious taste of there own medicine

Posted by diatreme at 01:13PM: Aug 07, 2008

I agree! If people got the same punishment as the crime they did against someone else maybe the crime rate would improve???

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by averjane August 7, 2008 2:09 PM PDT

That is a long time to stay away from the children and then go back and get them but either she really thought this woman had her best interests at heart or maybe she''s a rotten mother. Also, this woman could have become possessive of these children. It looks like she had them well groomed in a sturctured home. Maybe she''s controlling. Who knows. It will take some investigating to get to who''s telling the truth. It all comes out in the wash.

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by crescentgirl August 7, 2008 2:16 PM PDT

It saddens me to read comments such as "the mother of these kids should be charged for child abandonment. come on. this woman cared for these children for years while the mother was out ''''building a new live in new orleans''''. ya right. test her for drugs. go see what she has been doing in new orleans before anyone charges this woman in houston for anything. " If the mother had been a man, he would have been applauded for trying to seek out work and build a better future for his family. But, because she is th mother...everyone just assumes she abandoned her kids. The article does not mention the children''s father...so, I am assuming she''s a single parent..that makes her the sole breadwinner for her 5 children. I think it is admirable that she wanted to make a better life for the children by seeking employement (or re-building their lives) in new orleans. I feel bad that people think that she abandoned her children...i don''t think that is the case at all here...sometimes you have to make a sacrifice for the future...and yes, the biological mother did make a sacrifice by leaving her children with Rhonda. I am sure it must''ve been difficult for her without her kids. People, pls don''t judge until u have all the facts. What Rhonda did was wrong by taking the children away from their mother. that is my 2 cents.

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by crescentgirl August 7, 2008 2:48 PM PDT

DaVicar2, How do you know what''s best for the kids? You don''t know the specifics of the situation, do you? Rhonda committed a crime by taking those children without the permission of the legal parent/guardian...that is a fact..you can''t argue with that. In most cases, children are in the most loving and nuturing environment when they are with their mother. (In most cases---No one loves a child like his/her own mother does...that is a fact of life and biological nature. As far as the allegations made about "abuse against the children" and the "threats made by Erica with a knife towards Rhonda"...we just don''t know at this point whether what she is saying is correct or not. I am just dumbfounded that people would just automatically believe what Rhonda is saying...how do you know she isn''t lying? I''m not saying she is, but we just don''t know at this point. I am sure after a thorough investigation, the police will get to the bottom of this and hopefully do what is in the best interest of the kids.

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by pcucharlie August 7, 2008 4:05 PM PDT

What I find amazing about this whole story is that all the children have the same last name, unlike MANY other African American single parent households.

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by cdegolier August 7, 2008 4:10 PM PDT

She just wants them back now for the welfare.

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by vanlear August 7, 2008 4:22 PM PDT

The racist comments that some of you put forward only proves that old saying - ignorance comes in all colors and economic levels.

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by incog-nito August 7, 2008 4:34 PM PDT

DaVicar2: The fact that you can''t tell the difference says a lot.

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by papabc August 7, 2008 4:46 PM PDT

What does race have to do with this?

The only thing that might have to do with race is this paragraph.

" Tavey, who is white, said all she ever wanted was to do God''s will and that she also took the children, who are black, for their own safety. "

Tavey does not seem to have acted our on racial emotions but more out of a need to protect kids that might not have needed her protection. No matter how noble she thought her deed was, she should have contacted the authorities.

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by vanlear August 7, 2008 4:46 PM PDT

A couple denied their child medical help because they believed the medical establishment was out to get them. I mother locks her daughter in a cage to keep her from growing up. A father has *** with several of his daughters. All parents were white. Should we assume that most white parents are bad parents or ignorant? I don%u2019t think so. The truth %u2013 these parents are disturb and/or ignorant and we as a society should do what we can to keep this from happening again.

There is a big difference between race and ignorance. If you don%u2019t understand this then maybe you need a refresher course in what a civilized society is all about.

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by my2centss August 7, 2008 5:56 PM PDT

"The newspaper reported that Alphonse denies pulling a knife on Tavey and said Tavey is lying to damage Alphonse''s reputation."

Lie detector should weed out the liar, simple.

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by beader59 August 7, 2008 6:48 PM PDT

The police need to determine who is lying here. The "white" woman seems a little questionable. Maybe the "black" does has issues raising her kids properly, but it is not up to Tavey to make that decision. She could have called family services if she was truly concerned. I know they are not the best solution sometimes, but neither is Tavey.

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by demwatcher August 7, 2008 7:44 PM PDT

Just watch, Alphonse will sue the State of Texas for a couple million dollars.

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by kemetorigin August 7, 2008 7:46 PM PDT

I''m in no way claiming to know all the details, however, the biological mother is of questionable integrity having five children in five years all between 14 & 19. Further, she abandons her children at the very least off and on. I applaud Ms. Tavey for being not only a concerned citizen, but an involved one. ABC news reports that Tavey contacted authorities who would not assist her. She should be awarded custody and receive whatever benefits Alphonse is receiving to support her [Tavey''s] children. Tavey is the mother to them at this point and thank the creator for her.

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by alfred781 August 7, 2008 10:47 PM PDT

Ms. Tavey did what she did for her own personal reasons. Ms. Tavey received numerous donations and monetary gifts from her church and other organizations; she even has a website set up to send her donations. She used this to her advantage paying off her mortgage and sending her two daughters to college. There was no way Ms Tavey could afford to care for five kids, send her daughters to school and pay her mortgage with no job and no source of income. Even though I believe her love for the Alfonse kids was sincere, the real reason she cared for those kids was for financial purposes.

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by tootall10142 August 7, 2008 11:03 PM PDT

GREED HAS HAD ITS LUNCH,THE DESERT IS BITTER SWEET.

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by petesis August 7, 2008 11:52 PM PDT

The simplest explanation is usually the best. This black woman left her children that she really couldn''t afford, because it was convenient and now for some reason (probably money) she wants them back. The white woman is an idiot. She allowed this woman to use her as a doormat so she could care for the kids. You get what you pay for. Mark me down as a racist I guess.

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by August 8, 2008 12:58 AM PDT

Well, most folks in their 40''s with two kids in college have a full plate. Now when you feel like you
really need to start raising someone else''s family/
children, especially this young, is your head in the
right place? When do you stretch the practical to
the super human. You are not Mother Theresa, come off
your EGO. This person has serious problems, and is not
the HERO that you think. Before you start playing the
"RESCUE GAME" you better stop and think about WHY you
are doing what you''re doing!! Your job is to clean
the *** out of your life, before you can even think
that you can clean the *** out of someone else''s life. And, last but not least, no good deed goes
unpunished...

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[toldyouso12]

If the biological mother was or is abusive to the children, Tavey had an obligation to contact CPS--what she NEVER had the right to do, was to take someone else''s children away from them based on her statements alone.

Had she called CPS, they would have investigated and interviewed the children then made a determination. Because women often want other people''s kids and do desperate things from faking pregnancies and stealing babies from hospitals to murdering the real mom and cutting her child out of her; we cannot just believe what Tavey is saying.

If she truly was threatened with a knife, she should have called the police. What does not make sense is for her to simply leave and take someone else''s children then concoct this story (which seems like a defense and a lie) If it is not a lie, Tavey will have to explain why her choice was to take the children and flee instead of calling the police due to the threats and have them remove the mother.

I think this is a case of a woman deciding that she could do a better job being a mother to someone else''s kids--and devising a ruse, story and kidnapping them in order to try to steal them away. ''''The road to he11 is paved with good intentions."

[carlylaine]

toldyouso12

Succinct.

[huntley42]

It appears to me that the mother abandoned her children in Houston for two years with Tavey in order to set up her life. Tavey appears to have bonded with the children, the picture of her with her natural children and the five small children in her care shows a woman with a large family. Why was the smaller childrens mother not a part of the picture. She should have contacted the child protection agency and registered as a foster parent of those children. It could have been done legally. With her having care of the children for two years they would most likely been up for adoption by then and the natural mothers rights terminated already. To bad she didn''t go through the chanels. Tavey you need to give the children over to CPS and let them investigate what appears to be abandonment by their mother.

[republic1776]

How can any police officer in his or her right mind charge this woman with kidnapping?
The poor kids...

[reedtaz73]

Goodness, not another white man''s burden story...This Tavey woman knows better than to put the law in her own hands if abuse was the case. I think she''s a nut case as well...she might be trying to restart Jim Jones ministries with new black american blood.

[republic1776]

After reading some of the comments I can see that racism is still well and alive in America.
People look at the skin not the heats.
very sad

[cow9boys1]

THE MOTHER SHOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT HER KIDS NO MATTER WHAT YOU GO THROUGH THE GOOD, BAD AND THE UGLY WITH WHAT YOU BOUGHT IN THIS WORLD.I DON''T AGREE WITH MRS. TAVEY TAKING THE KIDS.BUT SHE SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED THE AUTHORTIES, BUT THE MOTHER SHOULD''NT GET THE KIDS UNTIL SHE IS INVESTIGATED TO THE THIRD DEGREE. MAYBE THE CHILDREN WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH MRS.TAVEY! THE MOTHER WALKED AWAY FROM HER BABIES AND LEFT THEM THERE. SO SHE KNEW THEY WERE IN THE BEST PLACE FOR 2OR3 YEARS. THINK ABOUT THIS FOLKS BEFORE YOU JUDGE ON THE RACE OF ALL INVOLVED.

[dbstevens]

This is not a racist issue, this is about the character of the people involved.

Tavey should have taken legal measures if she felt the kids were being abused. CPS would have helped her through that process.

I''m from New Orleans...I lost my home and I watched first-hand as the drama unfolded after Katrina. I saw the incredible generosity of people helping others. But I''d lived in New Orleans a long time and knew the character of some of the people involved, and I knew that we''d hear many stories of "angels" being taken advantage of, cheated and perhaps even hurt. "Angels" are easy marks for people who take advantage of others. I was touched at the kindness of people, but saddened at what was inevitable. I don''t condone Tavey''s actions...she made a huge mistake in how she handled this. But I would not be surprised to find out she was right about the abuse, and that the kids needed better.

[kennedy7955]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

[cricketbeers]

Why would the mother leave her children for two years? That''s just crazy to me! Tavey was taken advantage of. I have to wonder if the three youngest children would even have known their "mother" after all that time.

Maybe CPS needs to be involved now after all.

[credibility2]

The biological mother clearly abandoned her kids to Tavey, once she saw the gravy train; this mother clearly took advantage of Tavey''s good intentions, kindness and generosity. Tavey''s big mistake was showing her compassion in the first place. It doesn''t pay. People like this mother never appreciate, they just keep expecting and taking. I hope the biological mother loses her kids to the system. I hope Tavey gets minimal, if any, punishment. Her kidnapping was wrong, but motivated by concern for the biological mother. Wht Tavey did was wrong, but what this biological mother did was even worse - she abandoned her children and took advantage of the extreme generosity, kindness and giving of another person.

[deepperppl]

Mom has a ticket for a free ride so she leaves her children behind. No different than the kids in my area being raised by their grandmothers while the mom and/or dad lives in NY, NJ, Chicago.. Most nights, they''re out partying, then sometimes they send $$ home to pay for the care of their kids by a grandma who''s on public assistance. I see it every day. So what''s different here? The mom actually wants her kids back. Good for her. Should she have abandoned them? Was it in the kids'' best interest? Who knows? All that matters is this is a mom ready to stand on her own two feet with her kids in the home. I think she deserves congratulations for wanting to be responsible for her own kids, instead of foisting them off on someone else until they are adults like so many others do.

[ubrew12]

There''s been a trend, accelerated during the Bush Admin, to remove governments role in disaster and poverty relief and place it in the hands of religious organizations and private individuals. Yet the reason the gov''t is a better place for this kind of ''social spending'' is precisely to avoid this kind of exchange, wherein ''good intentions'' meet ''taking advantage''. I''m sorry for both women because it got personal. It didn''t have to, but the gov''ts abilities to perform ANY public service (other than the military) has been destroyed by the Bush administration, leaving the giving public at risk in a largely predatory environment.

[peacedreamer-2009]

In custody cases, always get in writing what the deal is. If the mother is relinquishing her children temporarily to someone else but planning to come back for her kids when she gets everything settled and arranged, the agreement will spell out how transfer of the children is to take place. If she''s giving up her children, then that will be in the agreement. If the mother changes her mind, there will be a clause in the agreement that allows that. Without an agreement, it''s just she-said-she-said. This is going to be an ugly battle!

[casey0157]

Bless this woman who opened her heart and purse strings to help another in need. I''ve heard many stories good and bad regarding the Katrina disaster but I applaud this woman for caring enough, for being a good Christian and looking out for these 5 children. It makes you wonder if they would have ended up on the news when their biological mother took their lives or if they had mysteriously disappeared and not with this good woman. I admit it was not the best way to handle it but CPS traumatizes children and I''m not that keen with CPS these days. I know they are there to look out for our children but for strangers to remove children from families in horrible situations and place them with other strangers is simply too much for their young minds to comprehend. Many are scarred for life and others not so much. Think about it for a moment. I pray that no charges be filed against this angel of God. I support her 200%! I bet those children are happy and so loved! God Be With Them All!!

[xmanborg]

No more happy meals for miss hateful its jail buffet for her.

[bdrlnt4rl]

the mother of these kids should be charged for child abandonment. come on. this woman cared for these children for years while the mother was out ''building a new live in new orleans''. ya right. test her for drugs. go see what she has been doing in new orleans before anyone charges this woman in houston for anything.

[tootall10142]

There is child protection services for these type things the woman had no right to to do this and should be hung by the yardarm as example.NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW AND BUSH WILL GET HIS OR HE WILL DIE INDURING THE APPEALS PROCESS.A EX PRESIDENT WITH ONLY TWO FRIENDS AND THEY ONLY COME AROUND TO SPLIT THE TAKE ON HALLIBURTON CACHE.

[tootall10142]

sHE JUST HAD TO THROW GOD IN ON THE PURPOSE WHAT A SACRELIGIUOS NUT! GOD DOESNT CONDONE THE COVERT THIEF! hOW DOES SHE KNOW IT WAS HIS WILL DID HE SPEAK TO HER AND TELL HER GO AND BREAK THE LAWS OF THE LAND ?I HARDLY THINK NOT!

[petesis]

Just goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished. This woman was pretty naive. Very good hearted though. I hope they clear this up ASAP.

[mandalay-bay]

Why was it necessary for CBS to point out that the woman was white and the children were black? I think we can clearly see that by the picture and I fail to see what relevance it has to the story...

[checkthepast]

Why was it necessary for CBS to point out that the woman was white and the children were black? I think we can clearly see that by the picture and I fail to see what relevance it has to the story...
Posted by MANDALAY-BAY

I AGREE COMPLETELY...UNTIL YOU READ THIS....

Typical piece of white TexASSan trash who believes she''''s entitles to whatever she wants - including somesone else''''s kids because she''''s white and she claims buybeeee jaysooooos told her she was entitled

Dump the piece of white trash in jail where she belongs
Posted by causeway_m

PREJUDICE (AND STUPIDITY) IS ALIVE AND WELL...

[tootall10142]

HEY CASEY! GETTING TO EAT AND DRY PLACE TO SLEEP DOESNT COUNT FOR A ACT OF KINDNESS IF YOU TURN YOU BACK ON THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.YOU MUST BE ONE THOSE OH MY! SURE ENOUGH GRANDMOTHERS!

[talkingham]

In the world of Bush, no good deed goes unpunished!

[casey0157]

TooTall, why do you feel the need to bad-mouth me for stating my opinion? I was unemployed for 8 years and I''ve been homeless for over a year!! People have helped me and I am thankful to them for what they did and I repay it by paying it forward. Regardless of my being a grandmother, mother or not is a totally ignorant comment to make! You wouldn''t make it one week without a job, food, etc. I''m a child of God and I''ve proven that I am Blessed! I''m a triple minister in 2 churches and I give back big-time! What have you done for people without?? These comments regarding race, Bush, etc. are totally uncalled for as it is a woman helping children PERIOD!!


HEY CASEY! GETTING TO EAT AND DRY PLACE TO SLEEP DOESNT COUNT FOR A ACT OF KINDNESS IF YOU TURN YOU BACK ON THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.YOU MUST BE ONE THOSE OH MY! SURE ENOUGH GRANDMOTHERS!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by tootall10142 at 11:23 AM : Aug 07, 2008

[jennmarikp]

Typical piece of white TexASSan trash who believes she''''s entitles to whatever she wants - including somesone else''''s kids because she''''s white and she claims buybeeee jaysooooos told her she was entitled

Dump the piece of white trash in jail where she belongs

Posted by causeway_m at 11:08 AM : Aug 07, 2008

Let me guess . . . you don''t consider yourself a racist? Just so you''re aware YOU ARE!

[pvperson]

The black woman has 5 kids between the ages of 3 and 8, does that sound like someone out to BETTER herself? Remember the old song, "You knew I was a snake when you brought me in".

[jennmarikp]

You can''t help anyone today . . . anytime you involve yourself in someone''s problems they become your problems. Yet people say "Why did everyone just stand around and watch? I can''t believe no one did anything" . . . Here''s a perfect example of why it''s better not to get involved.

[sonogirlaz]

I think that this woman most likely meant well. However, those are not her children. You can''t just go take someones child from them because you don''t agree with the way that they are being raised. I agree that this woman is naive. It is too bad that there are so many who will take advantage of anothers kindness. I have experienced that first hand. There are a lot of aspects to this story and both women were wrong. Whatever happened between them did not give her the right to take those children, period end.

[hidegirlgcks]

Its really sad but it happens all too often. You try to help someone out of the goodness of your heart and you get burned. hopefully the law will go easy on her. Who knows, she may have saved these kids lives in the long run.

[blackyowe]

It sounds to me like the host Mom went way beyond normal and legal, she is not a guardian or kin. It sounds like she just didn''t want them to move away.

[extremophil]

Neither lady sounds too bright to me. One may be an abuser and the other is doing "God''s Will". It''s no wonder that things turned out this way.

[hidegirlgcks]

Give them a ferocious taste of there own medicine

Posted by diatreme at 01:13PM: Aug 07, 2008

I agree! If people got the same punishment as the crime they did against someone else maybe the crime rate would improve???

[averjane]

That is a long time to stay away from the children and then go back and get them but either she really thought this woman had her best interests at heart or maybe she''s a rotten mother. Also, this woman could have become possessive of these children. It looks like she had them well groomed in a sturctured home. Maybe she''s controlling. Who knows. It will take some investigating to get to who''s telling the truth. It all comes out in the wash.

[crescentgirl]

It saddens me to read comments such as "the mother of these kids should be charged for child abandonment. come on. this woman cared for these children for years while the mother was out ''''building a new live in new orleans''''. ya right. test her for drugs. go see what she has been doing in new orleans before anyone charges this woman in houston for anything. " If the mother had been a man, he would have been applauded for trying to seek out work and build a better future for his family. But, because she is th mother...everyone just assumes she abandoned her kids. The article does not mention the children''s father...so, I am assuming she''s a single parent..that makes her the sole breadwinner for her 5 children. I think it is admirable that she wanted to make a better life for the children by seeking employement (or re-building their lives) in new orleans. I feel bad that people think that she abandoned her children...i don''t think that is the case at all here...sometimes you have to make a sacrifice for the future...and yes, the biological mother did make a sacrifice by leaving her children with Rhonda. I am sure it must''ve been difficult for her without her kids. People, pls don''t judge until u have all the facts. What Rhonda did was wrong by taking the children away from their mother. that is my 2 cents.

[crescentgirl]

DaVicar2, How do you know what''s best for the kids? You don''t know the specifics of the situation, do you? Rhonda committed a crime by taking those children without the permission of the legal parent/guardian...that is a fact..you can''t argue with that. In most cases, children are in the most loving and nuturing environment when they are with their mother. (In most cases---No one loves a child like his/her own mother does...that is a fact of life and biological nature. As far as the allegations made about "abuse against the children" and the "threats made by Erica with a knife towards Rhonda"...we just don''t know at this point whether what she is saying is correct or not. I am just dumbfounded that people would just automatically believe what Rhonda is saying...how do you know she isn''t lying? I''m not saying she is, but we just don''t know at this point. I am sure after a thorough investigation, the police will get to the bottom of this and hopefully do what is in the best interest of the kids.

[pcucharlie]

What I find amazing about this whole story is that all the children have the same last name, unlike MANY other African American single parent households.

[cdegolier]

She just wants them back now for the welfare.

[vanlear]

The racist comments that some of you put forward only proves that old saying - ignorance comes in all colors and economic levels.

[incog-nito]

DaVicar2: The fact that you can''t tell the difference says a lot.

[papabc]

What does race have to do with this?

The only thing that might have to do with race is this paragraph.

" Tavey, who is white, said all she ever wanted was to do God''s will and that she also took the children, who are black, for their own safety. "

Tavey does not seem to have acted our on racial emotions but more out of a need to protect kids that might not have needed her protection. No matter how noble she thought her deed was, she should have contacted the authorities.

[vanlear]

A couple denied their child medical help because they believed the medical establishment was out to get them. I mother locks her daughter in a cage to keep her from growing up. A father has *** with several of his daughters. All parents were white. Should we assume that most white parents are bad parents or ignorant? I don%u2019t think so. The truth %u2013 these parents are disturb and/or ignorant and we as a society should do what we can to keep this from happening again.

There is a big difference between race and ignorance. If you don%u2019t understand this then maybe you need a refresher course in what a civilized society is all about.

[my2centss]

"The newspaper reported that Alphonse denies pulling a knife on Tavey and said Tavey is lying to damage Alphonse''s reputation."

Lie detector should weed out the liar, simple.

[beader59]

The police need to determine who is lying here. The "white" woman seems a little questionable. Maybe the "black" does has issues raising her kids properly, but it is not up to Tavey to make that decision. She could have called family services if she was truly concerned. I know they are not the best solution sometimes, but neither is Tavey.

[demwatcher]

Just watch, Alphonse will sue the State of Texas for a couple million dollars.

[kemetorigin]

I''m in no way claiming to know all the details, however, the biological mother is of questionable integrity having five children in five years all between 14 & 19. Further, she abandons her children at the very least off and on. I applaud Ms. Tavey for being not only a concerned citizen, but an involved one. ABC news reports that Tavey contacted authorities who would not assist her. She should be awarded custody and receive whatever benefits Alphonse is receiving to support her [Tavey''s] children. Tavey is the mother to them at this point and thank the creator for her.

[alfred781]

Ms. Tavey did what she did for her own personal reasons. Ms. Tavey received numerous donations and monetary gifts from her church and other organizations; she even has a website set up to send her donations. She used this to her advantage paying off her mortgage and sending her two daughters to college. There was no way Ms Tavey could afford to care for five kids, send her daughters to school and pay her mortgage with no job and no source of income. Even though I believe her love for the Alfonse kids was sincere, the real reason she cared for those kids was for financial purposes.

[tootall10142]

GREED HAS HAD ITS LUNCH,THE DESERT IS BITTER SWEET.

[petesis]

The simplest explanation is usually the best. This black woman left her children that she really couldn''t afford, because it was convenient and now for some reason (probably money) she wants them back. The white woman is an idiot. She allowed this woman to use her as a doormat so she could care for the kids. You get what you pay for. Mark me down as a racist I guess.

Well, most folks in their 40''s with two kids in college have a full plate. Now when you feel like you
really need to start raising someone else''s family/
children, especially this young, is your head in the
right place? When do you stretch the practical to
the super human. You are not Mother Theresa, come off
your EGO. This person has serious problems, and is not
the HERO that you think. Before you start playing the
"RESCUE GAME" you better stop and think about WHY you
are doing what you''re doing!! Your job is to clean
the *** out of your life, before you can even think
that you can clean the *** out of someone else''s life. And, last but not least, no good deed goes
unpunished...