Kristi Griffin, Tuscaloosa, Alabama mother jailed for contempt of court refusing 5 weeks visitation right to father of her 9-year-old daughter residing in Hawaii. Mom alleges concern for child’s safety and well being over Corey Strickland who she describes as absent dad as new information revealing prior criminal record.
A Tuscaloosa, Alabama mother was imprisoned for contempt of court after refusing visitation rights to the father of her young daughter residing in Hawaii.
Kristi Griffin shared a video yesterday saying she was being taken to jail for 48 hours after refusing to send her 9-year-old daughter, Oakley, on a court-ordered extended visitation with the child’s father.
She explains that the father, Corey, didn’t see Oakley for the first four years of her life and then only saw her five times between the ages of four and six. During the past three years, she says he hasn’t exercised visitation at all.
Tuscaloosa, Alabama mom fight to ‘protect’ daughter
Kristi says that on two separate occasions last year, she attempted to have his parental rights terminated, but the cases were dismissed after authorities were unable to locate him to serve the paperwork (it remains unclear if there were other factors involved).
Griffin claims repeatedly trying to contact Corey to determine his whereabouts only to allegedly receive no response.
Then, in March, Corey saw Oakley at a wedding by pure chance but did not interact with her during the event the mom alleges. Eight days later, he contacted Kristi and told her he intended to exercise his court-ordered five-week visitation.
Believing Corey was essentially a stranger to their daughter and questioning why he suddenly wanted extended visitation after years of little to no involvement, Kristi refused to send the 9-year-old girl. She filed an emergency ex parte motion asking the court to intervene, while Corey filed a petition asking the court to hold her in contempt.
But there was more.
Hawaii dad prior criminal charges
Tuscaloosa attorney Jeff Smith according to True Crime Mama Oakley’s father, Corey Strickland was convicted of trafficking in 2013 and had received a 10-year sentence that was served through community corrections. Smith also states the father was arrested on a heroin charge in 2015 and later arrested on an animal cruelty charge in Shelby County in 2017.
At the contempt hearing, the judge ordered Kristi to spend 48 hours in jail. To avoid an additional five days in jail, she was also ordered to reimburse Corey $448.10 for the cost of his airline ticket from Hawaii to attend the hearing.
Kristi asked that her mugshot be shared online to bring attention to her situation, saying she hopes it will spark a broader conversation about family court decisions and child safety.
Social media responds
Kristi’s case has led to an avalanche of responses on social media questioning courts ability to enforce visitation rights overriding parental concerns for their children’s safety. While courts have a responsibility to uphold custody agreements, many argue that parents should not have to choose between obeying a judge’s order and following their instincts when they believe their child could be at risk.
And then there were these responses that caught this author’s attention. See what you think?
‘Biology alone does not mean you are a fit and/oe safe parent; not in today’s world. Good for this mom for advocating for his kids safety.’
