A young Massachusetts mother is currently waiting on a State Supreme Court hearing that will decide whether the man convicted of raping her will be awarded visitation rights to the child that was born from the assault.
In 2011, then 20-year old Jamie Melendez raped a 14-year-old girl. After pleading guilty to four counts of statutory rape, he was given fifteen years probation. The lower court judge, Superior Court Judge Thomas McGuire, sentenced Melendez to probation and demanded he pay child support for the baby that resulted from the rape.
The child support demand meant that a portion of the Melendez case was sent to Probate and Family Court. When the case was moved, the presiding judge in Family Court carried over the pre-ordered demand for child support. Melendez’s response was to request visitation rights.
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