Jhessye Shockley: Family Seeks Millions

This is another "missing" child case we covered in which the mother was found deceptive in her statements about what happened to Jhessye.

We concluded that Jhessye was deceased and that the mother was responsible, as did police, who spent a great deal of resources scouring landfills for the child's remains.

Now, relatives are filing suit in the amount of $10 million dollars alleging that state officials did not do enough to stop the child abuse at the hands of the mother.

Family members who filed the motion, which will, if it goes forward, ask for 10 million dollars report that they are not in it for the money and are, therefore, willing to settle for 3 million dollars.

The family is accusing Glendale Police Department and Child Protective Services of gross negligence. Family members  reported to those agencies their suspicions of abuse suffered by Jhessye and her sisters at the hands of their mother, Jerice Hunter, but that nothing was done. 

 Jerice Hunter reported 5-year-old Jhessye missing in October 2011. Hunter now sits in jail charged with first-degree murder even though her daughter's body has never been found.  

"I know for a fact that me and my immediate family, we did everything possible," Vance said. "We did everything by the book to try to not only get Jhessye out of the home, but we were trying to get all of the children out of the home."

What is not yet known is what actions CPS took, and what actions were approved or disallowed by a court.  CPS records are confidential, and it is also not known what actions the family did take, or did not take, to protect Jhessye. 

By filing intent, with the price tag of 10 million, but telling media that they will settle for $3 million, allows the public to know what it is they are seeking.  If it is justice for Jheysse, they should support the prosecutor who charged the mother with first-degree murder, and recognize all the money spent searching for Jheysse, and the money spent in prosecuting the alleged killer. 

Ultimately, the family wants money.  

Money that will not bring Jhessye back.