Woman Believes Deceased Man Is Child's Dad And Wants His Benefits (Full Episode) | Paternity Court - YouTube

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[3]
Please be seated.
[4]
Hello, your honor.
[4]
Hello.
[6]
This is the case of<i> Brugger v. Warner.</i>
[8]
Thank you Jerome. Good day everyone.
[10]
AUDIENCE: Good day.
[12]
Ms. Brugger, you are here to prove to the defendant that your son,
[14]
Parrish Brooks Jr. was fathered by the defendant's grandson
[18]
<i> who was tragically killed two months ago</i>
[21]
<i> in an auto accident.</i>
[23]
Ms. Warner, you are here with your granddaughter
[25]
and you don't believe Parrish Jr.
[29]
is your great grandson.
[31]
No, your honor.
[33]
JUDGE LAKE: You say that the plaintiff has dragged you to court today
[35]
because she wants in on your family's land and oil trust.
[40]
Yes, your honor.
[41]
All right, you claim your granddaughter knows for a fact
[45]
your grandson was sterile.
[47]
Yes, your honor.
[49]
What do you believe Ms. Brugger's motives actually are?
[52]
Money. Gold-digger.
[54]
WARNER: Right after Parrish got killed, she went for social security,
[58]
and, uh...
[60]
Parrish, I know Parrish had told, told her about the land we have in Texas
[63]
WARNER: <i> You know, she was just trying to cash in on him.</i>
[65]
<i> And she wanted a father for her girls.</i>
[67]
JUDGE LAKE: <i> Ms. Brugger,</i>
[68]
you say he is in fact your child's father?
[72]
Yes, he is my son's father.
[74]
We lived together,
[75]
everything, we were in a relationship, he asked me to marry him.
[78]
That is my son's father.
[80]
BRUGGER: He never denied my son.
[82]
So, I don't see why they are.
[84]
And the fact that they are saying he was sterile,
[86]
he was never told by a doctor.
[88]
That was him because he never had a child.
[91]
Me and Parrish clearly had a conversation before he passed
[94]
that he wasn't sure.
[95]
And so when you say, &quot;he wasn't sure...&quot;
[98]
What did he say?
[98]
Because he was just like...
[100]
&quot;Chas, I don't even think I can have kids.&quot;
[102]
All he wanted his whole life was a baby.
[104]
And then he gets with Rochell,
[107]
and then she comes pregnant like,
[108]
a month or two later.
[110]
He didn't even think he could have kids.
[112]
Excuse me, I have to say something. They weren't together when Parrish
[114]
was deceased.
[116]
He had another girlfriend they were not together.
[119]
We weren't together when he died, no.
[120]
WARNER: I had to tell you.
[121]
No, you guys wasn't together.
[123]
That's what she said, ma'am.
[125]
Okay.
[126]
We lived together. We were a family.
[129]
He told everyone
[131]
my girls were his stepdaughters.
[133]
He called them his stepdaughters...
[135]
Everything. He was there through my whole pregnancy.
[137]
<i> All the doctor's appointments.</i>
[139]
<i> Everything.</i>
[140]
JUDGE LAKE: <i> And when you had the baby,</i>
[142]
was he at the hospital?
[144]
No, he couldn't be there. But, as soon as he got out
[148]
he was adamant about...
[150]
Having the hospital hold on to the birth certificate
[153]
before they turned it in,
[154]
so that he could sign it.
[156]
So, do have proof of that?
[156]
BRUGGER: When we came home...
[158]
BRUGGER: Yes.
[160]
JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Brugger, explain to me.
[162]
This is actually a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity
[167]
<i> that Parrish Sr. signed?</i>
[170]
BRUGGER: <i> Yes, your honor.</i>
[172]
JUDGE LAKE: He acknowledged paternity?
[174]
Yes.
[174]
&quot;I am the legal father.&quot;
[176]
You have this is writing, this is his signature?
[179]
Yes, your honor.
[180]
While you were in this relationship he's going to doctor's appointments with you
[183]
and he is excited about the baby
[185]
and calling your girls his stepchildren.
[188]
Is he expressing any of this excitement
[190]
Ms. Warner, Ms. Veasley, to you that, &quot;I'm having a child,
[193]
&quot;I believe it's mine?&quot;
[195]
Yes, your honor.
[196]
JUDGE LAKE: But, you just don't believe it is?
[198]
Yes, your honor.
[199]
You had a shower?
[200]
BRUGGER: I had a baby shower, yes.
[202]
JUDGE LAKE: Did you attend, Ms. Warner?
[204]
Ms. Veasley, were you a part of that?
[206]
No, I, I didn't do anything.
[207]
I was, your honor.
[207]
JUDGE LAKE: You did?
[208]
WARNER: I did go because of Parrish, Parrish was alive then.
[211]
That was his baby.
[212]
But, to me,
[214]
that's not his child.
[216]
<i> He loved the baby, your honor, but the baby don't even look like him.</i>
[218]
<i> He don't act like him. His forehead's not like...</i>
[220]
There is nothing about him
[222]
that tell me that that is my grandson.
[224]
WARNER: The baby...
[224]
My son looks...
[225]
WARNER: No, no, he doesn't.
[227]
Around his eyes he looks...
[227]
Where?
[229]
<i> Just like... He looks just like his grandpa.</i>
[229]
WARNER: No, <i> that's...</i>
[231]
No, that's not his grandpa. His Grandpa never did nothin' for Parrish!
[235]
I don't know what... No...
[236]
Well, I...
[236]
BRUGGER: That's what y'all say.
[238]
BRUGGER: Since my son has been born...
[239]
WARNER: I raised Parrish.
[241]
Since my son has been born, the whole time
[243]
I was with Parrish in a relationship,
[245]
he's been the one that has been around.
[246]
I invited them to my son's
[248]
first birthday party,
[250]
they didn't show up.
[251]
WARNER: That's not my son, that's why I didn't show up.
[253]
And if y'all felt this way about my son then why did y'all...
[255]
Because I loved Parrish so much. I loved Parrish so much.
[257]
When his father was alive, there was never a question.
[260]
WARNER: Parrish is no longer here. He's no longer here, now.
[262]
But, if y'all felt that this was not his son...
[264]
I can defend that now.
[264]
Why wouldn't you say so...
[265]
When he was alive or when my son was born?
[267]
'Cause I wasn't going to hurt Parrish.
[269]
Parrish wanted the baby so bad...
[270]
They have never been around much.
[272]
So, wait, what I am trying to understand from the situation, Ms. Warner,
[274]
is all this time even when the baby was there,
[276]
did you have doubts about the paternity?
[276]
Yes your honor.
[278]
But, I wasn't going to say anything...
[280]
With, uh, Parrish
[282]
JUDGE LAKE: You just didn't want to upset Parrish...
[282]
No!
[283]
I did not want to come between Parrish and that baby.
[286]
But, now Parrish is no longer, I can say my piece now.
[288]
And the real truth is
[290]
you were his grandmother, but you raised him.
[293]
He was really like a son to you.
[294]
WARNER: Your honor, his mother died in '85,
[297]
I am the only person was there for Parrish.
[300]
That's why I just...
[301]
Couldn't hurt him because of this baby.
[303]
He didn't, he didn't have a family.
[305]
His dad over there did never...
[306]
That never did come by...
[306]
MAN: Never?
[308]
Oh, yeah, you were...
[308]
(AUDIENCE GASPS)
[310]
Come on, I would never...
[311]
Come on, now...
[311]
It seemed like never.
[313]
It seemed like never.
[313]
You know what...
[315]
(ARGUING INDISTINCTLY)
[319]
All right let's get, let's get some order. Let's get some order.
[323]
In your court papers, Ms. Brugger,
[325]
you say,
[327]
that his family didn't even tell you
[330]
when he passed away.
[331]
Is that true?
[332]
Yes.
[334]
I got a phone call from one of my friends.
[336]
They had seen it on Facebook.
[338]
They had just found out that morning too.
[341]
But, you would think...
[342]
WARNER: I'm grieving, that was my son...
[344]
I didn't have time to call nobody.
[345]
Had seen it on Facebook.
[345]
VEASLEY: Rochell...
[347]
VEASLEY: You have to understand where she is coming from.
[349]
They didn't even call his father and let his own father know.
[351]
WARNER: They, they found it out... Excuse me, your honor.
[353]
They found out on Facebook.
[355]
Someone else caught the coroner's office,
[357]
they released all of his information.
[359]
So, when I'm looking at Facebook at like 5:00 in the morning
[362]
going to work, I see it.
[364]
I call my grandmother. &quot;Grandma, have you heard anything about Parrish?&quot;
[366]
I had just talked to Parrish
[368]
the Friday that he...
[370]
Died at like 10:00 in the morning.
[372]
WARNER: They weren't in a relationship at that time.
[374]
And so...
[374]
They weren't together.
[375]
I still have his son!
[377]
WARNER: But you guys...
[379]
BRUGGER: We don't have to be together.
[379]
I was grieving at the time.
[381]
BRUGGER: For me to know, I am still stuck,
[383]
happening to raise our son
[385]
by myself.
[386]
Well, ask him, he'll tell...
[387]
So, if you really cared about your grandson
[389]
and you know he said this was his son
[392]
and he loved him very, very much.
[393]
And that's why she is here today.
[395]
Wouldn't you want his son to know that he no longer has a father?
[397]
WARNER: That's why I am here.
[399]
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
[411]
VEASLEY: Parrish felt that she used to have some dude come over to the house.
[415]
Whose hair she was always doing.
[417]
BRUGGER: Your honor...
[417]
Never got paid. Parrish didn't like that.
[420]
Because he had called my grandmother and clearly stated to her.
[424]
He has telling me plenty of times that Rochell was broken
[427]
that she was tainted,
[429]
and that's why he had to get out of the situation.
[432]
So, when you would talk to
[434]
Parrish, Ms. Warner, he was saying he wanted to get out of the situation?
[437]
WARNER: <i> He was saying, &quot;She is broken grandma, I cannot fix her.&quot;</i>
[440]
He says, &quot;She is crazy, grandma. She is...&quot;
[442]
This guy keeps coming over and doing her hair and he...
[444]
He's not even, she's not even getting paid for doing his hair!
[447]
So, man would just come over to the house and get his hair done?
[450]
Right and she wouldn't even get any... She wouldn't even accept any money.
[453]
This is what he told me out of his mouth, your honor. This is just...
[456]
Couple of things.
[456]
JUDGE LAKE: So, he was intimating that
[458]
he maybe thought she was cheating
[461]
with this guy?
[462]
Yeah! He'd come home and the guy was there.
[465]
Who is this guy?
[467]
Ms. Brugger, you just had a guy over the house, doing his hair?
[469]
Your honor, first of all I have a degree in cosmetology.
[472]
So, I do hair.
[474]
When me and Parrish first got together,
[476]
there is a guy who I have known for years.
[478]
He is my brother's friend.
[480]
I've been doing his hair for years.
[482]
It happened one time I was doing his hair,
[484]
Parrish came home,
[485]
<i> he got mad about it.</i>
[486]
<i> I never had... I stopped doing his hair.</i>
[488]
<i> He never came back over again to get his hair done.</i>
[490]
And then, your honor, there was also times when Parrish would call my grandmother
[494]
that Rochell wasn't picking him up from work.
[496]
He was late to picking her up.
[498]
And she couldn't explain to him on why
[501]
all that was happening.
[502]
There was times when she kicked Parrish out.
[504]
He came to my grandmother's house.
[505]
She had to give him money to stay at a hotel room.
[508]
Your honor, the only time he was staying at a hotel
[511]
was after he was gone out of my house.
[514]
The girlfriend he had after me,
[516]
they lived in a hotel.
[517]
When he was living with me,
[519]
we lived together we had a house.
[520]
WARNER: Your honor, but she put him out.
[522]
BRUGGER: I put him out because he was not making the right choices.
[525]
So, I had to make a choice
[526]
to protect my children
[527]
and put them first.
[529]
(AUDIENCE CLAPPING)
[529]
BRUGGER: And if you are grown...
[531]
You need to be a man and do what you need to do.
[534]
And he wasn't doing that.
[535]
So, I had to make that choice.
[537]
I put him out.
[538]
<i> We still were talking.</i>
[540]
But, he knew, in order for him to come back home...
[542]
You wouldn't even let him bring him over to my house, Rochell...
[544]
BRUGGER: Uh, why?
[546]
I don't know why.
[546]
You watched my son one time.
[548]
We trusted you with my son.
[551]
When he was like two to three months.
[552]
She did not feed my son, all night.
[557]
That's not his child.
[558]
We trusted you with my son when he was two to three months.
[560]
She did not feed my son, all night.
[563]
WARNER: No, no, it didn't go like that...
[566]
Don't say that.
[566]
She brought him home...
[568]
In a car seat without him being strapped in...
[570]
You are... No.
[572]
WARNER: <i> No!</i>
[572]
BRUGGER: <i> The seat belt was over the car seat...</i>
[573]
BRUGGER: <i> And the car seat was turned backwards.</i>
[576]
Your honor.
[576]
Parrish was even mad. He said...
[579]
I have to tell you that...
[579]
He will never let her keep our son.
[581]
Until he was old enough.
[583]
I'll tell you happened.
[583]
How can he pick up the phone on his own?
[585]
What happened now?
[586]
My grandmother was under the impression that
[590]
baby Parrish was on breast milk.
[592]
I'm a great grandmother.
[593]
I'm not, you know... So, I didn't know
[595]
this up-to-date stuff.
[596]
And they bought him about, told me to feed him
[599]
and I left... He wouldn't take the bottle. I left it out.
[601]
I tried to call them all night long. I was paging them.
[605]
Nobody would answer the phone.
[606]
She didn't call my phone, she called his.
[609]
And I took him over to the house. They didn't want to come to the door.
[612]
You know, I was panicking I wasn't used to keeping little babies.
[616]
That was it.
[617]
And when you were trying to give him...
[619]
The milk, he didn't want to take it?
[619]
WARNER: Right.
[621]
And you thought it was because he wanted his mother...
[625]
WARNER: Yes, your honor.
[625]
So, you... Okay.
[627]
Okay, I have a question to Rochell.
[628]
If it comes back and that is his
[630]
are... Is my grandma even going to be able to see the baby?
[633]
You cannot take him...
[633]
'Cause you are acting all funny.
[634]
You act so funny.
[636]
BRUGGER: I'm so funny? But, but, why weren't y'all at the baby shower?
[638]
VEASLEY: I wasn't there because my one-year old was sick.
[640]
I invited you to his birthday.
[640]
And I talked to you. What did I tell you?
[643]
BRUGGER: You didn't show up.
[643]
And what did I tell you?
[645]
That I don't invite you guys.
[647]
I'm done.
[647]
Did you guys ever come over to my house to see him?
[650]
You came a couple times, you never did.
[650]
No, I didn't.
[651]
I just have my own kids, let's just be real about it.
[655]
VEASLEY: So, no, I didn't come.
[655]
(AUDIENCE CLAPPING)
[657]
I have mine. I have my own kids...
[658]
I'm answering for my grandma.
[660]
My grandma cares about him.
[662]
Parrish cared about him, I'm asking for him.
[664]
She has came to my house.
[664]
WARNER: Yes.
[666]
To see my son.
[667]
<i> Like maybe three times, four.</i>
[670]
<i> Every time they have seen my son,</i>
[672]
me and Parrish
[674]
packed all the kids up and we had to go to their house.
[677]
After my son was born,
[679]
my family was at the house all the time,
[681]
coming to see the baby to a point, where we were like, &quot;Oh, my God.&quot;
[684]
&quot;Go, home so we can get some rest.&quot;
[686]
He was mad because
[688]
they were not embracing the fact that he finally did have a kid.
[692]
And I can see that it hurts you
[693]
because you remember that it hurt him.
[695]
BRUGGER: Mmm-hmm.
[698]
He was like, &quot;You know, I thought I couldn't have kids for all these years.&quot;
[700]
<i> &quot;Now, I have this son and they are not embracing it.&quot;</i>
[704]
<i> However they feel about me,</i>
[706]
feel how you feel about me.
[707]
But, them trying to keep the ashes away from my son,
[711]
if my son is entitled, to...
[712]
I don't even have the ashes.
[712]
Money...
[714]
Anything that he should be entitled to...
[718]
(AUDIENCE CLAP)
[718]
Your honor.
[719]
They are not...
[720]
We they keep this stuff it's not hurting me.
[723]
Ms. Brugger, they were clear, they think you are just interested in the money.
[727]
BRUGGER: The money doesn't come to me.
[730]
The money will go in an account, in a trust fund for my son.
[734]
It doesn't come to me.
[735]
Okay, I would like to hear from you witness at this time.
[737]
Sir, would you please stand up at the podium?
[739]
MAN: Yes, ma'am.
[739]
JUDGE LAKE: State your name for the court.
[741]
My name is Clabrine Harvey Jr.
[743]
And Mr. Harvey, you are...
[746]
Parrish's father and Parrish Jr.'s grandfather.
[749]
And what would you like to add to this situation?
[752]
HARVEY: All I want to say first of all,
[753]
is that we are not here to assassinate each other's character.
[757]
And I will admit that I was not there...
[760]
Okay.
[760]
As much as I could have been for Parrish.
[762]
Okay.
[763]
You know... But,
[766]
they didn't say nothing about the part
[768]
where I tried to get custody of my son Parrish when he was a baby
[772]
when his mama was out on the streets doing things
[774]
<i> that she wasn't supposed to doing.</i>
[776]
WARNER:<i> Okay, don't even go there.</i>
[776]
(INDISTINCT ARGUING)
[779]
I don't have my daughter and now I don't have my son.
[779]
I tried to get custody.
[784]
Don't go there.
[786]
Oh, you know I loved you daughter don't give me that fake crocodile tears.
[789]
Don't go there.
[790]
HARVEY: Your fake crocodile...
[792]
Family, I need you to bring it down. I know this is an emotional time.
[795]
I know it.
[796]
JUDGE LAKE: I would like for you, Mr. Harvey,
[799]
to testify as to why you are so certain
[802]
that Parrish Jr. is in fact your son's son?
[808]
He was proud of his son, he told me that was his son.
[812]
The boy has got a little bit of me, ain't he? He looks like me...
[814]
VEASLEY: Your honor, we just wanna make sure that little Parrish is Parrish's.
[818]
And to be clear, your doubt is rooted in him possibly being sterile?
[825]
VEASLEY: And just that he looks nothing like him, like...
[828]
And the lack of family resemblance.
[830]
Yeah, and I always used to joke with Parrish, like,
[832]
&quot;No, he is too cute to be your baby.&quot;
[834]
Like, me and him always joked around like that.
[837]
You, know, I still love my son even though he's not here.
[841]
I love him to death.
[843]
We shouldn't have even been here.
[844]
That's his son.
[846]
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDS)
[848]
He would not have wanted this.
[851]
That's why she said nothing while he was alive because
[855]
he told everyone, this is his son.
[858]
If it wasn't for him, my son would not have been named Parrish.
[862]
He adamant about him being named Parrish Jr.
[866]
WARNER: He should be.
[868]
So, if he didn't deny him,
[871]
there's no reason for you guys to.
[873]
You guys have no legitimate reason.
[873]
(AUDIENCE CLAPPING)
[875]
Then it just goes to...
[878]
That you low-key manipulated him with the baby.
[882]
He is a grown man.
[884]
There is no way I can manipulate.
[884]
You did.
[885]
You did.
[887]
The only way to move forward is to get the results.
[889]
Jerome, may I have the envelope please?
[891]
(AUDIENCE CLAPPING)
[906]
Before I read the result, I just want to be clear that in order to determine
[910]
<i> if Parrish Brooks Jr.</i>
[912]
is the child of Parrish Brooks Sr., the deceased,
[917]
we performed a grand-parentage DNA test.
[922]
We fortunately had Clabrine Harvey's DNA.
[925]
The results will determine if there is a viable relationship between the child
[931]
Parrish Brooks Jr.,
[933]
and the grandfather,
[935]
Clabrine Harvey.
[937]
Are we clear about that?
[939]
BRUGGER: Yes.
[939]
Okay.
[940]
In the Case of<i> Brugger v. Warner,</i>
[944]
when it comes to one-year old Parrish Brooks Jr.,
[950]
it has been determined by this court
[953]
Mr. Harvey
[956]
is related to Parrish Brooks Jr.
[960]
Therefore Parrish Brooks Sr. is also related
[966]
to Parrish Brooks Jr.
[966]
(APPLAUSE)
[970]
WARNER: Okay, I owe you an apology.
[971]
HARVEY: Something we already knew.
[973]
WARNER: I owe you an apology.
[975]
Something we already knew.
[977]
Well, now, I am sure.
[978]
You had no reason to be unsure.
[981]
And for this child's sake, let's start new.
[984]
The truth is always a great starting point.
[988]
And even though you knew it,
[990]
Ms. Brugger.
[991]
And even though you felt like you knew it, Mr. Harvey, without a doubt,
[995]
the point is they didn't have that clarity.
[998]
And you can blame them for it for the rest of the child's life,
[1001]
and affect the child's life, or you can forgive them and move on from it,
[1005]
so that you both can positively affect the child's life, you get it?
[1009]
If you need
[1011]
help, resources, counseling we are going to provide that for you.
[1015]
Because Parrish Jr. is what's most important.
[1018]
He is beautiful little boy.
[1020]
Okay, I wish you the best of luck, family. The court is adjourned.