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Mother held in death of 2-year-old
By Blake Spurney Editor
A man and woman were arrested Friday evening at a Rabun County residence following the death of a 2-year-old child in Texas.
Anita Ruth Clemons, the mother of the child, and Jose Manuel Rodriguez, 26, of Lewisville, Texas, were being held without bond at the Rabun County Detention Center while awaiting extradition to Texas.
Details about the child's death were scant, and Sheriff Don Page said detectives from Fort Worth were expected to fly Monday night to Atlanta. The child was taken to a hospital in Texas, where the child died sometime last week. Page said Rodriguez was not the father of the child.
"My understanding is that the 2-year-old died of some form of trauma," said District Attorney Brian Rickman.
Rabun County Sheriff's Lt. Jack Tanksley said Clemons lived in Rabun County. Tanksley received a call last week from a Fort Worth detective who asked if he could locate her and Rodriguez.
Rodriguez also was being held on a Rabun County probation warrant. Neither he nor Clemons had signed waivers of extradition as of Monday afternoon.
Rickman said an extradition hearing would be held if neither signs a waiver. The only issues that are addressed at such a hearing are whether the correct persons are being held and whether they were in Texas at the time when the alleged crime was to have occurred.
Rickman said the 2-year-old had a 4-year-old sibling. Fort Worth detectives have requested for the older child to be interviewed and examined for any possible signs of abuse.
Local authorities also are trying to determine if any abuse occurred in Rabun County.
Anita Ruth Clemons, the mother of the child, and Jose Manuel Rodriguez, 26, of Lewisville, Texas, were being held without bond at the Rabun County Detention Center while awaiting extradition to Texas.
Details about the child's death were scant, and Sheriff Don Page said detectives from Fort Worth were expected to fly Monday night to Atlanta. The child was taken to a hospital in Texas, where the child died sometime last week. Page said Rodriguez was not the father of the child.
"My understanding is that the 2-year-old died of some form of trauma," said District Attorney Brian Rickman.
Rabun County Sheriff's Lt. Jack Tanksley said Clemons lived in Rabun County. Tanksley received a call last week from a Fort Worth detective who asked if he could locate her and Rodriguez.
Rodriguez also was being held on a Rabun County probation warrant. Neither he nor Clemons had signed waivers of extradition as of Monday afternoon.
Rickman said an extradition hearing would be held if neither signs a waiver. The only issues that are addressed at such a hearing are whether the correct persons are being held and whether they were in Texas at the time when the alleged crime was to have occurred.
Rickman said the 2-year-old had a 4-year-old sibling. Fort Worth detectives have requested for the older child to be interviewed and examined for any possible signs of abuse.
Local authorities also are trying to determine if any abuse occurred in Rabun County.
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RAIN wrote on Dec 26, 2008 4:22 PM: