The Chattooga County parents charged with tattooing six of their children with a homemade contraption have the children back in their custody, officials said.
But the mother of three of the children, Tina Handwerk, is trying to fight for custody, said her husband, Tony Handwerk, of Birmingham, Ala.
“We are extremely upset that the state returned the children” to Patty Jo Marsh and Jacob Edward Bartels, Mr. Handwerk said.
Mr. Bartels is Mrs. Handwerk’s ex-husband and had custody of their three children, Chattooga County Sheriff John Everett said.
Mr. Bartels and Ms. Marsh have four children of their own, Sheriff Everett added.
Mrs. Handwerk found X-shaped tattoos on the children’s hands when she picked them up from Mr. Bartels’ home on Christmas Day, police said.
Ms. Marsh, 33, and Mr. Bartels, 34, were charged with using a homemade tattoo needle made from electrical cord, spliced wiring and a guitar string to tattoo themselves and six children ages 10 to 17, reports show.
They were charged with cruelty to children and reckless conduct on Dec. 28.
No court date has been set, records show.
Contacted by telephone, Mr. Bartels referred questions to his attorney, Sutton Conley. Mr. Conley said he had no comment.
Mr. Handwerk said the 17-year-old already has come to live with them, and the family is seeking an attorney to gain custody of his wife’s two other children.
PDF: Arrest report
Mrs. Handwerk and some of her husband’s family are trying to find out why the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services returned the children so quickly to Ms. Marsh and Mr. Bartels, he said.
The Department of Family and Children’s Services took the children and placed them with the Handwerks, but returned them to Ms. Marsh and Mr. Bartels three days later, Sheriff Everett said.
“I was hoping the county would step up and take those kids,” said Jason Grammes, Mr. Handwerk’s cousin, who filed the charges against the couple. “I’m surprised they are not (out of the household).”
Mr. Grammes said he filed the report on Mrs. Handwerk’s behalf because she was too upset.