Father to Lose Custody of Daughter he Whipped 82 Times?

Child custody can be a messy business in Virginia where a court will normally make the difficult decision based on the “best interests” of the child. Every once in a while, this decision can be easy as a court will be presented with a set of facts that so favor one parent having custody of the child over the other.
In Suffolk, VA Victor Gomez, a 29-year-old father, was accused of hitting his 13-year-old daughter 82 times with a belt as the teen’s step-mother stood by and watched. The child sustained serious bruising and welts on her back, buttocks, and legs, reports WTKT TV.
The child was removed from the home by Child Protective Services, and Gomez was charged with felony counts of abuse and neglect.
It wasn’t reported if the girl’s biological mother was seeking custody of the girl, but if she is, the facts seem to favor her. In a child custody dispute, the court will look to the best interests of the child by considering the following factors:

- age and physical and mental condition of the child
- age and physical and mental condition of each parent
- relationship between each parent and child
- needs of the child such as relationships with siblings, peers, and extended family members
- role that each parent has played and will play in the upbringing of the child
- propensity of each parent to support the child’s contact and relationship with the other parent
- willingness and demonstrated ability of each parent to maintain a close and continuing relationship with the child
- preference of the child
- any history of family abuse or sexual abuse
Certain factors will be given more weight depending upon the circumstances of each case. If Victor Gomez faces a child custody hearing, a court will likely consider the 82 lashes he doled out to his daughter more than any other single factor.
There is no exact science to Virginia child custody laws. Because of this uncertainty, you will need experienced Norfolk child custody attorney Michael Weisberg on your side to ensure that the best interests of your child are represented.