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Jahessye Shockley, a Glendale 5-year-old, has been missing for what is now over two days.
Frankly, as MSNBC holds hourly updates on the search for missing Kansas City baby Lisa Irwin, we figured the disappearance of a 5-year-old Arizona girl might warrant some national ink.
But it hasn’t.
Locally, however — with the exception of the Arizona Republic (Arizona’s paper of record) — Shockley’s disappearance is dominating headlines.
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Local TV news station KPHO — which we often give a lot of shit because of its cheesy “telling it like it is” mantra (and never-ending chupacabra stories) — dug up a little dirt on Shockley’s parents. And it’s troubling, considering the girl’s been missing for over two days.
As KPHO points out, Shockley’s mother, Jerice Hunter, has appeared in interviews with local TV news stations crying hysterically, and asking for help in finding her little girl.
However, Hunter’s got a bit of a past — which includes beating her children with extension cords. Not to mention, Jahessye’s father — who is currently in a California prison — is a convicted sex offender.
From KPHO:
These booking photos of Jahessye’s mom, Jerice Hunter and the child’s biological dad, George Shockley, were taken after the pair was arrested in October of 2005 in northern California by Vallejo police.
The couple was booked for what they call in California inflicting injury on a child, felony child abuse.
Police tell us at least three kids were put in protective custody as a result of that arrest.
Documents from 2005, before Jayessye was born, say Hunter abused her other children-including a three year old, beating them so badly with extension cords she left welts.
She allegedly punched her older children, whipping them with sticks.
George Shockley is a registered sex offender and is currently serving time in a California prison.
Glendale police say Hunter is cooperating fully with investigators. They also say they’ve ruled out nobody as a suspect.
We want to know what you think: should cops be taking an extra hard look at Shockley’s mother?
Cast your vote below.
