Friday, December 31, 1999
County goes after 248 no-pay parents
Some jailed, some pay up; others hiding
BY DAN HORN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hamilton County prosecutors charged 248 parents with failing to make child support payments this year — the largest annual total in county history.
Prosecutor Mike Allen said 111 of the cases were resolved when the parents were arrested or turned themselves in.
He said the resolution of those cases has led to about $400,000 in support payments to dependent children.
The number of cases jumped dramatically a few months ago when a grand jury indicted nearly 70 parents for failing to pay child support.
The indictment was the largest of its kind in the county and included several parents who owed more than $100,000.
The most notable of the group, former Bengals running back James Brooks, has since been convicted of failing to pay support to two of his children.
The mothers of those children say Mr. Brooks, who told a judge he is broke and illiterate, still has not made any payments.
Mr. Brooks was released from jail early this month so he could begin work at a concrete company. Mr. Allen said he does not know why the support payments have not yet been deducted from Mr. Brooks' paycheck.
Since Mr. Brooks has been working only a few weeks, Mr. Allen said, it's likely the payments will begin as soon as the child support paperwork makes it through all the necessary state agencies.
As for the other cases in 1999, Mr. Allen said he expects many to be resolved in the coming months. But he said 89 parents have not been found and remain wanted by police.
He said another big year for child support cases is likely in 2000.
“We'll continue to ratchet it up,” Mr. Allen said.
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