Wayne County judge accused of hiding abuse of grandson taken off abuse and neglect cases

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A family court judge accused of covering up child abuse has new duties.

After FOX 2 investigator ML Elrick revealed that the judge's grandson said she used make-up to hide up his bruises, her boss reviewed the matter.

Two months after Wayne County family court Judge Tracy Green testified that she did not believe her son abused her grandchildren, the judge has been taken off all abuse and neglect cases until further notice.

M.L. Elrick: "If you, a family court judge, can't protect your own grandkids, can the people of Wayne County count on you to protect our kids?"

"I am certainly capable of protecting children from my perch as a Third Circuit Court judge," Green said at the time. "There's nothing that I have done or would ever do, to jeopardize the safety of any child - particularly a child that I love. 

"And what I'm saying to you, Mr. Elrick, is that I've done nothing wrong, I've not failed to do something that I should have done - and that's the bottom line."

That was what Judge Tracy Green said earlier this month, addressing concerns that arose after her grandson testified that she helped hide evidence that his father - Green's son - had beaten him.

Older boy: "My dad would tell her about a bruise I had or something, and she'd put make-up on it because we had to go to school and stuff and she didn't want people to see."

"I didn't put makeup on any bruises, conceal any abuse, that is utterly preposterous," Green said.

Elrick: "So he made it up."
 
"It just didn't happen," Green said.

After Wayne County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy Kenny watched my report, he reviewed a transcript of the trial at which Judge Green and her grandson testified. Then he told Green she would not handle any abuse and neglect cases until her son's legal matters are resolved.

Judge Green's son Gary Davis-Headd is waiting to hear whether his parental rights will be terminated in family court.  He's also awaiting separate trials in Wayne County Circuit Court on child abuse and domestic violence charges.

Those cases stem from a disturbance at his house last summer, when neighbors called police.

Neighbor to 911 operators: "He was beating his kids, like I'm talking about, he's been beating them for like 45 minutes. And this is like beyond a whooping. He was over there screaming and telling him how he blacked their mama's eyes, he would kill everybody." 

Detroit police and Child Protective Services removed Green's five grandchildren from her son's home. They are now living with their birth mothers.

Two of the boys, who are now 9 and 11, testified that Davis-Headd beat them and once choked their step-mother until she passed out.

Davis-Headd testified that he disciplined his children, but denied beating his wife and kids. The judge in that case didn't believe him.

| MORE: Wayne County family court judge accused of helping cover up child abuse of own grandson

Judge Green couldn't discuss the matter in detail, because judicial rules forbid her from speaking as freely as she would like. She declined comment on this latest development. 

Judge Kenny tells me Judge Green will handle delinquency cases and other matters, and that when he spoke with her, she agrees with his decision. He says he took action to allay any concerns the public may have that abuse and neglect cases will be handled fairly.