Franki Hill was arrested two weeks ago after authorities deduced that she not only requested her boyfriend physically discipline her 6-year-old son, but stood by and watched while things grew out of control. Now out on bail and working with Child Protective Services to regain custody of her boy, Hill said it's not all that it seems.

"I never asked him to beat my child. I was there when he hit him and I did try to stop him," Hill said. "He was abusive to me, too."

Hill said that Kenneth Chastain, 33, lived with her and her son in their Bandera home for about two weeks. She met Chastain online, and they engaged in a long-distance relationship - from Texas to Georgia - via the Internet for about a year. In the beginning, things were good, Hill said. But after a few days, life grew difficult with Chastain.

"He started yelling a lot at me. He didn't exactly hit me, he would grab me firmly. He monitored what I did. He went to work with me. I was kind of like a prisoner in my own house," Hill said.

Chastain was initially arrested on Sept. 26 for family violence after authorities received a third-party tip that he had beaten Hill's son, according to Bandera Police Chief James Eigner. That tip, Hill said, was promulgated by her. Because Chastain was around her all of the time, she said she asked her friend to call the police.

"I took [my child] to the EMS barn and asked Officer Brantley to meet us there. Then we went to Sid Peterson Hospital," Hill said.

After further investigation by Brantley and Bandera Police Lieutenant Neil McLean, Chastain was rearrested on Sept. 30, after bonding out three days prior, for injury to a child. Denying previous reports that she paid his bail, Hill said that she actually wanted him to stay in jail and could not understand how he got out so quickly.

"Officer Brantley said he would be detained for 72 hours," Hill said. "I freaked out. I panicked. I didn't know if he knew that I was part of the reason he was arrested and I was scared."

Hill, 32, said that she took the bond paperwork to the jail where Chastain was held. Armed with a protective order, her hope was that he would approach her upon his release and violate the terms of the order so police could arrest him again. Instead, she was arrested, reportedly for failure to intervene on behalf of a child.

History of abuse

No stranger to violence, Hill said her first marriage was marred with domestic abuse. After her two daughters were born, she left her husband and her job as a certified nursing assistant, took her children and sought refuge in the California Oceanside Battered Women's Shelter. Eventually, she and her daughters left the shelter and the state. Accused of kidnapping and crossing the state line without notifying the proper authorities, Hill was arrested and spent 92 days behind bars. Her record was expunged after completing three months of probation, but she lost custody of her daughters.

Hill's other children are scattered: a 13-year-old son who lives with her mother in Georgia, a 3-year-old son whom Hill has joint custody of, and a 4-month-old son who currently lives fulltime with his father.

Seeking help

Hill said that she feared Chastain, which is why she did not report him. She has enrolled in domestic violence counseling, mental health counseling, parenting classes and is receiving help to secure a two-year protective order against Chastain at Hill Country Cares in Boerne.

She voluntarily placed her son in KSTAR protection, but does not know where he is or with whom. She was assured during a CPS hearing last Friday that he has been placed with a good foster family and is receiving counseling. Hill was also told that CPS has begun the process of reunification, but she was not given a timeframe.

"I'm hoping he doesn't have to stay there long. I will have two visits per month - that's hard. I'm used to seeing my son every day. He's having a hard time with it. He thinks he's being punished," Hill said. "I'm doing everything I can to appease the court."

Since being in protective custody, Hill's son has reportedly told CPS investigators that Chastain hit him on more than one occasion.

Still behind bars

Hill said she calls the Bandera jail twice a day every day to ensure Chastain remains in custody. She said that she aims to keep him behind bars, even if that means putting in her own time.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he never gets out," Hill said. "If that means that I have to go to jail for my time, then at least I know [my son] is safe."

The case is expected to be presented to the grand jury on Oct. 26.

http://www.banderabulletin.com/articles/2009/10/14/news/565.txt

Emphasis added by H4K Editor