27.7.11

Custody Battle For Murdered Kinston Woman And Murder Suspect's Children

·

Amplify’d from www.wcti12.com
LENOIR COUNTY -- We're getting new information on the bitter custody battle between Laura Ackerson and Grant Hayes. Hayes had custody of the children he fathered with Ackerson. So where are the boys tonight?

The 2 children of Grant Hayes and Laura Ackerson are reportedly with Hayes' parents...for now. It appears the children were at their grandparents' house at the time of their father's arrest, but Hayes and Ackerson had been battling for custody for months, so it's unclear who will get custody in the long-term.

Ackerson filed a complaint against Hayes in September of 2010. She wanted custody of her 2 boys. At the time, Hayes lived in Manhattan, but by the time he filed a counter complaint on May 17th, of this year, he was living in Wake County.

Hayes got a lawyer and was awarded emergency custody of his children on June 15th. That document reads "the defendant (Hayes) is the fit and proper person to have the care, custody, and control of the minor children."

The Department of Social Services evaluated the children at the time their father was arrested and released them to the custody of "family members" We went to check on who has the kids, but no one was at the Hayes' Kinston home to talk to us about the children.

The most recent legal custody arrangement was made on June 29th. That's when Hayes and Ackerson filed a consent order It reads "the parties and attorneys have agreed to settle the issues of temporary child custody by executing this consent order." Under this agreement, Ackerson would have visitation with her children on the weekends, but primary temporary custody would go to Hayes. They agreed on every detail from sleeping arrangements for the kids to who would take their youngest to a doctor's appointment in Cary on July 2nd. Hayes, Ackerson, and both their children were also supposed to go through child custody forensic psychiatric evaluation. The children and their parents were supposed to go back to court September 15th to see if the consent order was working for everyone and to review their psychiatric evaluations.

Grant Hayes' parents have not filed a petition with the Lenoir County court for temporary custody -- even though the children are staying with them.

Grant Hayes also has an infant with his wife, Amanda. That child is not part of this custody battle.
Read more at www.wcti12.com