GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Stacy Gatlin isn’t happy with the way the media has covered her child abuse case.
“Y’all blew everything out of proportion,” the 21-year-old said Thursday morning from the Kent County Jail.
Gatlin is facing charges of second-degree child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor after investigators say her child ingested crack cocaine while in her care.
Tests later revealed cocaine in the baby’s system.
In a Skype interview, Gatlin only stayed on camera for a few seconds before stepping away from the computer, but made her case for being able to see her now-18-month-old son – Royal – again.
“(The courts) said if I get proof of income and I get stable living, then I can have rights to see my son,” she said. “I have a job. I have two jobs actually. I have a home. So I have proof of income and I have stable living. I should be able to have – at least seeing my son.”
Gatlin is in jail after missing a status conference in the case on Monday. She says she turned herself in on Tuesday.
In April, FOX 17 spoke with Devon Holloway, Royal’s father. He says his son hasn’t had any sort of side effects from eating the drugs, but he doesn’t want Gatlin anywhere near Royal.
“I really feel like I don`t have that trust for her to see him,” Holloway said in April. “I really don’t.”
