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State recommends toddler, teenage mother live together

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State recommends toddler, teenage mother live together
An Omaha toddler who appears in an online video as he's being encouraged to use profanity and make obscene gestures will get to live with his 17-year-old mother.The teenage mother and 2-year-old child, along with other minors, were removed from their home and placed into protective custody after the video surfaced last week; however, officials said the reason for removal had little to do with the video.-- Video: Child, mother to stay together in foster care after viral cursing videoThe state recommended on Monday that Ennisha Devers and the toddler be allowed to live together in foster care.  For now, all minors involved will stay where they are.Court documents detailed how the toddler's adult relatives allowed known gang members into the home.  In addition, the court documents state, the toddler was injured by gunfire in October when someone fired shots through the front door.Devers told KETV NewsWatch 7 last week that someone else recorded and posted the video.“That video -- it wasn't me. It was a person that came in to my house and recorded it. Everybody that thinks I'm a bad mother, I'm not. I’m a good mother to my son. I teach him a lot, and he is very smart,” she said. “All that cussing that he did, he doesn't do that. Somebody told him to do that. My son doesn't do that. I don't allow it."The state also recommended that all parties involved participate in counseling.Jackie Barfield, the guardian ad litem for three of the four children in the case, said the video is only a snippet of what is going on and not the full picture.“So what people think and what they say -- it brings more attention to it, but the problems in certain families have always been there. This court is here for a reason and the court can handle it, and these kids should be treated like any other children,” Barfield said.Community activist Robert Wagner believes the video's popularity is the only reason the state is taking action. He raised money to bail the toddler's grandmother, Kimberly Devers, out of jail to be at the hearing fighting to keep the family together."We wanted Devers to walk into this courthouse on her own in street clothes, not in a jumpsuit, not shackled, not with sheriff’s deputies because it’s going to be hard enough as it is,” Wagner said.Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said the family has been monitored for months."Some of the dangers we've seen previously was the history of gang involvement. There was a shooting involved. In fact, one of the children was injured from shrapnel from shots fired,” Kleine said.Records also note the children have been left unsupervised, at times putting their lives in jeopardy. Kleine said it's not about the video, but the safety of the children involved.Another hearing will be held Jan. 29.

An Omaha toddler who appears in an online video as he's being encouraged to use profanity and make obscene gestures will get to live with his 17-year-old mother.

The teenage mother and 2-year-old child, along with other minors, were removed from their home and placed into protective custody after the video surfaced last week; however, officials said the reason for removal had little to do with the video.

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-- Video: Child, mother to stay together in foster care after viral cursing video

The state recommended on Monday that Ennisha Devers and the toddler be allowed to live together in foster care.  For now, all minors involved will stay where they are.

Court documents detailed how the toddler's adult relatives allowed known gang members into the home.  In addition, the court documents state, the toddler was injured by gunfire in October when someone fired shots through the front door.

Devers told KETV NewsWatch 7 last week that someone else recorded and posted the video.

“That video -- it wasn't me. It was a person that came in to my house and recorded it. Everybody that thinks I'm a bad mother, I'm not. I’m a good mother to my son. I teach him a lot, and he is very smart,” she said. “All that cussing that he did, he doesn't do that. Somebody told him to do that. My son doesn't do that. I don't allow it."

The state also recommended that all parties involved participate in counseling.

Jackie Barfield, the guardian ad litem for three of the four children in the case, said the video is only a snippet of what is going on and not the full picture.

“So what people think and what they say -- it brings more attention to it, but the problems in certain families have always been there. This court is here for a reason and the court can handle it, and these kids should be treated like any other children,” Barfield said.

Community activist Robert Wagner believes the video's popularity is the only reason the state is taking action. He raised money to bail the toddler's grandmother, Kimberly Devers, out of jail to be at the hearing fighting to keep the family together.

"We wanted Devers to walk into this courthouse on her own in street clothes, not in a jumpsuit, not shackled, not with sheriff’s deputies because it’s going to be hard enough as it is,” Wagner said.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said the family has been monitored for months.

"Some of the dangers we've seen previously was the history of gang involvement. There was a shooting involved. In fact, one of the children was injured from shrapnel from shots fired,” Kleine said.

Records also note the children have been left unsupervised, at times putting their lives in jeopardy. Kleine said it's not about the video, but the safety of the children involved.

Another hearing will be held Jan. 29.