74-Year-Old Billed for Child Support

Re “‘At 74, a Bill for Back Child Support,” Oct. 13: My husband is also paying a court trustee for a daughter he has not seen for almost four years. She was almost 3 at the time. Her mother is also on welfare and has been for a long time.

I’m all for aggressively pursuing deadbeat dads, but how about 10% of that effort going into pursuing deadbeat moms for not allowing fathers to actively participate in their child’s life?

As usual, the child’s welfare comes last. Financial support without the hugs and bedtime stories from a father does not represent the best interests of the child.

LIZ SELLS

Los Angeles

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I was thoroughly disgusted and appalled with Commissioner Roberta Winograde Lee’s response to Burns. She seemed to go out of her way to apologize to this law-breaker and try to render the process easier for him. All of this, with no regard whatsoever for the burden placed upon the responsible custodial parent.

No one has made it easier for people like myself, the custodial mother of a 13-year-old son. My case is currently in the Criminal Prosecution Division. At a hearing last month, I personally witnessed the commissioner continuing case after case, thus, delaying the process further. This commissioner practically apologized to these deadbeat dads for the inconvenience of having to appear before her.

Has Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti ever spent a day in those child support hearings? If so, and if this shoddy approach has even his tacit approval, he is the most negligent and irresponsible public servant in L.A. County.

AMBER WILLIAMSON

Santa Monica