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December 19, 2004
Authorities say family had pattern of child abuse
ALBANY, Ga. - Several members of a Dougherty County family that authorities say created a pattern of physical and sexual abuse in their home were arrested this week.
James H. Clemmons, 24, has been charged with aggravated child molestation and rape in the sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl. On Thursday, Clemmons' sister, 26-year-old Tara Ann Clemmons, his 55-year-old mother Teresa Clemmons and family friend Bunice Jones Jr. also were arrested in connection with the molestation after authorities determined they were in the home as the young victim screamed for help.
Beth McKenzie, executive director of the child advocacy group Open Arms Inc., said she hoped the arrests would end the cycle of abuse that had been going on for decades in the Clemmons home, which she called a "nest of abuse."
"We know this has been going on for generation after generation," McKenzie said.
Tara Clemmons already was facing charges that she and their brother, Tommie L. Clemmons, sexually assaulted an 8-year-old boy in 2003. Tommie has been in jail while Tara was free on bond, as the two await trial.
Authorities said Tara Clemmons probably will be sent back to jail because she violated conditions of her bond by being around children in the more recent molestation incident.
In March 1995, Tommie, James and another sibling, Tamara Clemmons, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Tamara's 2-month-old daughter, who was burned with a hair dryer. The mother had told police that she was trying to cool her child off but mistakenly had put the hair dryer on the hot setting.
Prosecutors also said the patriarch of the family, Rollette McIntosh, currently is serving an eight-year sentence at Johnson State Prison in Wrightsville for a 2000 child molestation conviction. Details of that case weren't immediately available.
In the most recent case, the 10-year-old girl told authorities that she was visiting the Clemmons home when James Clemmons asked her to go into a bedroom with him and watch television. James Clemmons then allegedly offered her $10 to have sex with him and when she said no, he raped her, according to police reports.
Two other children said they witnessed the incident, according to the reports.
Assistant District Attorney Christopher Cohilas said the adults claimed there were no children in the home at the time of the alleged molestation.
"It's pretty difficult to prosecute a case when all of the adults are lying about the presence of the children," Cohilas said.
Posted by Nealus at December 19, 2004 11:48 PM
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