Dec. 21--A South Side father who allegedly posted a Facebook photo of his 22-month-old daughter bound and gagged was just joking around and the whole case has been "blown out of proportion" by the Internet, his attorney said today.
Andre Curry, 21, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, a felony, after turning himself in to police on Tuesday. Judge Laura Sullivan set bond today at $100,000 and ordered him to have no contact with his daughter or any other children and barred him from using the Internet while his case was pending.
Curry, who has no criminal background, was accused of posting a photo showing the toddler bound and gagged with blue painter's tape.
Across the top of the photo are the words: "This is wut happens wen my baby hits me back" and then added a smiley face, Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti said. But Curry's attorney, Anand Sundaran, said his client was just joking around and that the child was never harmed or in danger.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services had already intervened and placed the girl with her mother and Curry was granted supervised visitation, he said.
"Unfortunately due to the Internet, this case has been blown out of proportion," Sundaran said. He asked the judge to release Curry on electronic monitoring, but she denied the request.
Chicago police said they began investigating Dec. 14 after someone brought the photo to their attention. DCFS also said they were investigating the incident and that the agency had no prior contact with the family.
Curry, of the 6100 block of South Racine Avenue, works at an Applebee's restaurant and graduated from Chicago Vocational High School in 2007, according to records. He appeared in court in a white hooded sweatshirt and dark pants and did not address the judge.
Copyright 2011 - Chicago Tribune
