Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Sandra Yi Reporting Six months after a man was sentenced to prison for child abuse he'll face his victim's family again. Michael Barber beat his girlfriend's two-year-old son. He'll go before the Board of Pardons and Parole tomorrow.
Michael Barber was sentenced to one to fifteen years for child abuse. Tomorrow, he'll go before the parole board for the first time on that charge.
The victim's mother thinks it's too soon.
JenaV Adams, Dominick's Mother: (Wipes away tear) "I didn't want to cry."
JenaV Adams still gets emotional when she talks about her son Dominick.
Dominick was only two when his mother's then boyfriend lost his temper and beat him. Now he is four-years-old and has to go to therapy once a week.
JenaV Adams, Dominick's Mother: "My son has scars, he has problems in school, he's blind in his right eye. He has to deal with it every day of his life for the rest of his life."
Only six months have passed since Michael Barber was sentenced for the crime. Tomorrow, Adams will face him again.
JenaV Adams, Dominick's Mother: "We put it behind us as much as possible for six months, now this coming up, it makes it feel like it's fresh, like it's just happened again."
Barber will go before the parole board which will review his case. Adams plans to speak at the hearing.
JenaV Adams, Dominick's Mother: "I'm just going to let them know what our family's gone through, and let them know that they need to keep him where he is for as long as possible, so he can't do this to another family, another child."
Adams says a 15-year sentence won't make up for what's happened, especially because Barber has never apologized to her son.
JenaV Adams, Dominick's Mother: "Take responsibility for what you've done, for the lives that you've ruined because of what you've done. (Cries) I'm sorry."
A Department of Corrections spokesperson says Michael Barber is in maximum security at the prison because of his behavioral problems. Tomorrow the parole board could set a parole date or schedule another hearing. The board has 30 days to make that decision.
