Andrews to receive CPS records

By Jon Johnson

Assistant Editor

Published on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 9:55 AM MST

An accused child abuser will receive records in regard to Child Protective Services' psychological reviews of the victim during his time at her home and any reviews of CPS' home visits.

The child was in the care of Tammy Renea Andrews, 40, of Safford from Oct. 15, 2004, until Feb. 12, 2010, when the allegations of abuse arose. She had adopted the victim, but her parental rights have been terminated, and the child is in the care of CPS.

At her pretrial conference June 28, Andrews' attorney, Barry Standifird, said the only way he could proceed was if he was granted access to CPS' records.

Andrews was booked into the Graham County Jail on Feb. 24 on numerous charges relating to child abuse. She is charged with a total of 16 counts, including four counts of aggravated assault – class-two felonies, aggravated assault – a class-four felony, three counts of aggravated assault class-six felonies, two counts of kidnapping – class-two felonies, three counts of child abuse – class-two felonies and three counts of child abuse – class-four felonies.

The charges stem from allegations that Andrews repeatedly abused her adopted 10-year-old son. Some of the allegations include the victim's being tied up with string and/or chains after Andrews' other children left for school, refusal to feed the child if he urinated or defecated while tied up and repeated physical abuse such as being hit with a baseball bat and a hammer and being shot with a BB gun.

Previously, Andrews' bond was reduced from $100,000 to a $50,000 paper bond by Gila County Superior Court Judge Robert Duber II. Andrews was able to go through a bondsman, who generally charges 10 percent of the bond and puts up the money for the full amount after receiving collateral, and was released from jail.

At the June 28 hearing, Standifird requested that Judge Duber order CPS to release its records. Attorney Sara S. Wisdom from the Office of the Attorney General appeared telephonically and represented CPS, while Deputy County Attorney C. Allan Perkins represented the state. Wisdom said the records could not be released unless Duber ordered it due to the regulations in the law.

Standifird said the records are necessary because he might be able to gather witnesses' testimony from them that would show no abuse took place.

"I have a basis, based on my client's discussions with me, to believe that home studies, referrals, investigations, a number of CPS reports (and) these types of things could actually confirm that there was no abuse going on in the home," Standifird said.

Duber ordered CPS to deliver the documents to Standifird and Perkins but said it was free to redact any information that would disclose the identity of a reporter of abuse. CPS will have until July 28 to produce the documents. The reports will not be made public and will only be available to the defense, prosecution and judge.

Andrews' next hearing was set for Aug. 23 at 1:15 p.m.