Source: Geoff Livingston / Getty
Imagine: You’re a hard-working parent doing your best to support your five children and spouse—the latter of whom is battling cancer. One day, you leave your kids with a babysitter before heading out to your 9-to-5, only to have that person abandon them, leaving you in jail in to face abuse charges.
This is what happened to Victor Alonzo King of Raleigh, N.C. on Tuesday. According to ABC 13, King left his children with a neighbor before heading to his job at Chipotle. On Wednesday, King told a judge that he is the sole provider for his kids (aged 8, 7, 5, 3 and 1) and wife, who was recently diagnosed with stage four cancer.
“Two weeks ago my wife was diagnosed with stage four cancer,” King said. “I’m practically like her only way to pay for all of her medical bills. So I was wondering if I could get out early and I can still work so I won’t lose my job so I can still pay for her medical expenses.”
Despite King’s testimony, the judge refused to lower King’s $25,000 bond because of a 2011 child cruelty conviction, which was raised by the prosecutor. According to court documents retrieved from the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside, King was fined and required to take parenting classes.
Read more here.
This story was updated on Friday, August 18, 2017 at 1:38 p.m. EST.
