Grandparents of Jovan Belcher's baby are fighting for custody

[proud2BlibKansan]

Jovan is the Chiefs player who killed his girlfriend and himself on Dec 1st.

The struggle over who will care for the daughter of a Chiefs player who committed suicide after killing the girl’s mother is taking shape in Missouri and Texas courts.

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Both families have filed court cases seeking to care for Zoey. Judges in Independence and Fort Worth have scheduled hearings later this month to begin determining where the infant and money to support her will end up.

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Money to care for Zoey could come from a trust funded by the Hunt family, Chiefs coaches, players and employees and contributions from the public.

Zoey’s estate or guardian also will receive more than $1 million under terms of the NFL’s collective-bargaining agreement.

The girl stands to receive $108,000 annually over the next four years, $48,000 in the fifth year and then $52,000 each year until age 18. She’ll continue to receive that amount until age 23 if she attends college.

The beneficiary of Belcher, who was in his fourth season, also will receive $600,000 in life insurance, plus $200,000 for each credited season. There is also $100,000 in a retirement account that will go to his beneficiary or estate.

Shepherd also has asked probate court to appoint her the administrator of Belcher’s estate.

The probate commissioner has scheduled a Jan. 11 hearing in Independence to hear both petitions.


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/04/3995261/zoey-belcher-now-living-in-texas.html#storylink=cpy

[xmas74]

1. She is so young she will be able to adjust either way.

Let's hope she goes to the best home.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. It's a tough call.

Reportedly, the mother was estranged from her family. Now they want her baby. And the other grandmother was there when he shot the mother.

Now that this baby is a very wealthy little girl, the family members are coming out of the woodwork.

[xmas74]

9. maybe the best thing in

The short term is for her to stay with other family locally until everything is straightened out. Jamaal Charles's wife is a cousin, they're local, and they are already well to do and are more than familiar with the NFL. (He's the Chiefs best player,at least I think so). They also seem like decent people who would want the best for the baby.

Not like the Chiefs have a post season to worry about,lol.

[MADem]

11. The other grandmother, from what I understand, was there to help to mother with the new baby.

She didn't live there ordinarily--she was on an extended visit to help out.

She stayed with the mother as she died, and made the 911 call after her son shot the woman and took off.

I'm inclined to root for that grandma, given that she extended herself to help the mother of her grandchild, and traveled to help the new mother with the baby.

But who knows...? Hopefully the court will make a good call.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. The sentiment locally is that she should NOT have the baby

because she was there and wasn't able to stop her son from killing Kasandra.

I don't agree with that but that is what the locals are posting all over local blogs.

It's been interesting to see how differently this tragedy is being perceived. Here in KC, Belcher is called a murderer. But in his home (Long Island) a memorial for him was put up on his family's lawn.

[MADem]

14. Isn't that interesting!

I don't know how big Granny was, but it's not so easy to stop a large football player when the balance of his mind is disturbed.

I guess the opposing view would be that Grandma was also there holding the mother as she died. It was obvious from the 911 tape that she cared for the woman. And she cared enough to come and help her with her new grandchild.

I think 'performance enhancing drugs' can make a lot of people stupid and crazy. When you add youth, bulk, strength, too many sex partners and too much praiseworthy attention and not enough course correction, people can wrongly believe they are invincible. The guy made a baby--he had no right to be abusive to the mother of the child, and he needed to step up and take responsibility. If he didn't want to continue to live with the woman, he should have gotten his ass out the house and just not murdered her!

I hesitate to "blame" his mother because there comes a point in time where you can't tell your adult kids what to do--this dolt seemed determined to live his tough guy, music video life and not listen to his mama. Now the fool is dead and he's a murderer, too.

Whatever happens, I hope the courts make a good call for the kid--that's a fucked-up beginning, right there, and a lot of baggage to carry through life.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. I've blamed the performance enhancing drugs all along.

That's the real problem here. The drugs and multiple head and bodily injuries. This was a 25 year old kid. So so sad.

[MADem]

16. Yep. I think football has gotten too big for the players, and they are struggling to keep up.

They will do anything to stay in the game and keep the checks rolling in, even if it means screwing up their bodies and shortening their life spans.

The hits have to be harder, the players bigger, the protection like body armor--it's gotten to the point where they should just shitcan the players and let giant robots do the job...!

I'd probably enjoy the game more if it were robots on the field, to be honest...!

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. It's also nearly impossible (so far) to detect the performance enhancing drugs in pee tests

They can change the chemical composition to make these drugs virtually undetectable.

[MADem]

18. Look how long Lance Armstrong got away with that stuff! nt

[dkf]

2. Oh boy they need a guardian to watch over the guardians.

[niyad]

3. I don't know who would be best, but if I were the judge, I would appoint a G.A.L. for the child

and her financial interests.

[11 Bravo]

5. Guardian Ad Litem (sp)?

Not being snarky, and I have no legal training at all, but the term seems to ring a bell.

[niyad]

10. yes, that is it. court-appointed, would watch out for the child's interests, financial and other

[demtenjeep]

6. this is so sad. I hope they want to look out for her best interest and not her money

I have no idea which would be the better placement. This would be a hard decision

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Call me a skeptic.

They want the money.

On another topic, what do you think of the Chiefs new coach? Rumor has it he'll bring Michael Vick with him.

[demtenjeep]

8. I like the coach, hate the thought of Vick but we will see

can't be any worse than Casshole.

I am so glad Pioli is gone as well. Carl Peterson was bad, but Pioli just was horrible




I think they want the money as well. If I had to choose based only on what I have read, I would award custody to Javon's mom.

[exboyfil]

12. Don't forget Social Security

Survivor's benefits which will amount to $24K/yr.

With my retirement savings, life insurance, and social security benefits, I was also concerned about who would take care of my children when they were younger. Ideally the child should go to a residence that is able to accomodate another individual, and the child should be charged some pro rata amount for rent (based on square footage) along with some reasonable calculation for board.

What may actually happen is that the residence will be upgraded dramatically, and the other family members are "free riders" in this upgrade. In that case you could reverse the equation and have the remaining family pay rent to the child to service that portion of the mortgage for their occupancy. Again the board should reflect what is actually consumed by the child.

You can also look at it from the perspective of the child care provided to the child. 24 hour care for a nanny would be expensive so should the caring family member receive that salary (say $50K/yr. while a preschooler and less after child is in school).

My problem was that the most logical family at the time (my wife's brother) had his wife balk at the idea of being designated the guardian. My father-in-law also balked because of his and his wife's (mother-in-law) age. My wife's two sisters were both single and living in apartments at the time (one in the Ukraine). My brother was a non-starter. It was a stressful time for me, and I went ahead and designated my father-in-law anyway.

Now that my older daughter is 17 and very responsible. It is a simpler solution - the two girls will stay together with the older one being designated as guardian once she hits 18. I am glad that my sister-in-law was forthcoming to me at the time, but I still wonder about her unwillingness given that it would have been far from a financial hardship between the life insurance and assets ($1.5M) and S.S. (around $40K/yr.)