"Clearly, Judge Dougherty has no recollection of ever being advised of Linda Weston's criminal record by DHS, or by the Child Advocate, or by the child's mother, Vicky Weston, all of whom were present in court and agreed to the placement on August 16, 2002," Frank Keel, Philadelphia Family Court spokesman, wrote in a statement to the Daily News.
"The record reflects that Judge Dougherty had several court hearings over a span of eight months, wherein DHS represented to the Court that the child, Beatrice, was safe and her needs were being met," Keel wrote.
Last week, police took Beatrice, 19, and six children believed to be related to Weston into custody. They also picked up a 5-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy believed by authorities to be the children of two of Weston's enslaved victims.
Dougherty placed all eight children, ages 2 to 17, under the care of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services and ordered DNA tests to verify their identities. As the presiding judge, Dougherty will determine who will raise them.
On Oct. 18, police rescued Beatrice from a Frankford home. She had been burned with a hot spoon, shot repeatedly in the ankles with a pellet gun, and struck so hard she suffered broken bones.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said Beatrice endured beatings so severe that he's shocked she survived. "I've never seen anything like this before in a living person," Ramsey said of Beatrice.
Police have arrested Weston, 51, and three others: Weston's longtime boyfriend, Gregory Thomas, 47; Eddie Wright, 50; and Weston's daughter, Jean McIntosh, 32. Prosecutors have charged them with kidnapping and related offenses. Weston is on suicide watch at the Detention Center, her defense attorney, George S. Yacoubian Jr., said Thursday.
