A Chicago mother wants the public to know that a photo showing her daughter bound with painters tape was meant as a lighthearted joke and that the girl's father is not the monster many are calling him.
The 21-year-old father, Andre Curry, pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated domestic battery and unlawful restraint during a brief hearing Thursday morning. He remains in custody and is scheduled to return to court Friday for a hearing on his attorney's motion to reduce his bond.
The judge requested more information from the Department of Children and Family Services to help make a decision.
"It's just not what it's supposed to be," Yesmin Doss said through tears Wednesday afternoon. "He's been called a monster and stuff and Dre's just a great guy. He's just a great, a great father."
Doss said she and Curry were together for five years and called him a very attentive dad who loves to spoil his little girl.
Curry was arrested last month after he posted the photo to his Facebook profile. The photo carried a caption that read, "This is wut happens wen my baby hits me back."
DCFS later investigated and Curry was ordered held on $100,000 bond and told to stay off the Internet and away from all children under the age of 18, including his daughter.
Doss showed off more pictures that depict a loving relationship between Curry and his daughter. Though she concedes the photo looks bad, she said the child was never in any danger and said
it was one moment during a playful evening between father and daughter.
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The Rev. Torey Barrett said he recently visited a very remorseful Curry in jail and said he hoped others can learn from Curry's mistake.
"He broke down and just cried and kind of explained to me what actually happened," he said. "You have to think about your decisions before you do them.
Doss said she hopes Curry will be able to see his daughter on her second birthday in a couple of weeks.
"She's crying for him," she said. "It just kills me."
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