A former Red Cross volunteer charged with kidnapping for taking five young Hurricane Katrina survivors from their mother filed paperwork Monday seeking custody of the children.
Rhonda Tavey, 44, had been caring for the children in Houston for nearly three years under an agreement she had with their mother, a woman who fled Louisiana with her family after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
In July, however, Tavey refused to return the children, ages 3 to 8, and took them to the Dallas area. She claimed their mother, Erica Alphonse, was abusive — allegations Alphonse denies.
Tavey was arrested last week and charged with five counts of kidnapping. She is free on bonds totaling $50,000.
Tavey went to a Houston court Monday and filed paperwork requesting custody of the three girls and two boys because of physical abuse, family violence, drug abuse and child neglect by their mother. She also asked for permission to violate the terms of her bonds, which say she can't have contact with the children.
Alphonse denied claims she is an unfit mother and said she was confused by Tavey's actions.
My heart hurts. It's like she's stomping on it, Alphonse said. I still have love for her. It's something I have to work on.
Alphonse's attorney, Shelley Ross III, dismissed Tavey's accusations.
They want to establish in the mind of a potential jury pool that there is more to Tavey's story than meets the eye, Ross said in a story posted on the Houston Chronicle's Web site.
Tavey alleged that Alphonse's interest in the children after three years of infrequent visits is motivated by money.
She is desperate for money, Tavey said at a news conference.
Alphonse said she had no signed custody agreements with Tavey except those authorizing her to handle school and medical matters for the youngsters.
They reached the agreement after meeting in Houston's Reliant Park, where Tavey had been volunteering for the American Red Cross when thousands of displaced Louisiana residents poured into the state after the hurricane.
Tavey, who has two teenage daughters, was to care for the kids while their mother sought to become self-sufficient in New Orleans. Tavey, however, refused to return the children July 11.
The children remain in the custody of Child Protective Services. They are staying with their mother's aunt in southwestern Houston, where Alphonse also is staying.
Tavey and her attorney, Todd Ward, met with Child Protective Services caseworkers Monday to discuss her allegations.
