Freezer mom, 1 of 2 fathers have parental rights terminated

A judge officially terminated the parental rights of convicted child killer Mitchelle Blair.

She is already serving a life sentence for murdering two children, but claims she isn't the only one to blame.

"There is a message to be sent in the termination," said Circuit Court Judge Edward Joseph.

It is a decision many have been waiting weeks for. After several hearings inside the Lincoln Hall of Juvenile Justice  that included outbursts from Blair, Joseph terminated her parental rights to two surviving children.

He also terminated the rights of Stephen Berry in regards to his 8-year-old son but kept them for Alexander Dorsey's 18-year-old daughter. She will remain a ward of the court so she get can get treatment and necessary services until the age of 20.
 
The judge based his decision on an assessment detailed in court by a child trauma expert who interviewed everyone involved. He testified that the kids basically lived in terror and that they had little if any relationships with their dads.

"She indicated that she views her father just as another human being," said Dr. Jim Henry, child trauma expert. "She does not feel close to him. She does not feel  "love for him" in the sense of daughter to father."
 
The whole situation came to light in march of this year when court officers found two of Blair children's bodies in the family's deep freezer. They had apparently been there for years. 

Her two surviving kids have been living with a great aunt ever since and that will likely continue so they can get the safety, stability and support needed.
 
"I admitted what I did," said Blair via video from jail. "I admitted to everything I did. But you will not try to blame me for these deadbeats not being there."
 
She is currently serving a life sentence but commended the judge's decision. 

The dads did not want to talk on camera but Dorsey did say he was pleased because at this point, "it is all about his daughter," he said.