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Updated: Atmore Teacher And Her Husband Arrested For Child Abuse
April 29, 2009
(Updated) An Atmore teacher and her husband have been arrested on child abuse and domestic violence charges.
An Escambia County (Ala.) grand jury indicted Tracy Linam, 37, and Terry Desmond Linam, 44, both of Chapman Road, Atmore. Both were arrested on three counts of aggravated child abuse and three counts of domestic violence. The child abuse charges are felonies; the domestic violence charges are misdemeanors.
Both were released from the Escambia County (Ala.) Jail on $165,000 bond each.
Tracy Linam is a kindergarten teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School in Atmore, where she has been placed on administrative leave. Authorities say the children that she allegedly abused were not her students. The children that were physically, not sexually, abused were reportedly Desmond Linam’s from a previous marriage.
The Linam case has been handed over to the Alabama Attorney General for prosecution because the local district attorney had a conflict of interest with the case.
In February, another Escambia County (Ala.) teacher was arrested for giving Lortab to a student at W.S. Neal High School In Brewton. Larry Tindell was also charged with child pornography after authorities found inappropriate images of children while searching his home. Tindell is still in jail.
Pictured above: Escambia County (Ala.) Jail booking photos of Tracy Linam (L) and her husband Terry Desmond Linam.
Comments
22 Responses to “Updated: Atmore Teacher And Her Husband Arrested For Child Abuse”
well im actually neutral and im actually kin i have no respect for either of the sides…… and yeah i know everything so dont try and say im out of the loop…..
All of these people for the Linams are basing their decisions on emotions not facts.
I have been reading everything from the Atmore Advance, News and North Escambia about this. All of the people posting for The Linams need to remember that they are hurting young children when they post saying the Linams was never do something like this. Obviously something was going on because the Attorney General and DHR brought charges. Not the mother. Just because you know someone from church or work does not mean you know them at home. No one is going to harm a child in a classroom when another adult is in there. You are calling these children liars!! You should all be ashamed!! Until you hear the facts in the case hold your judgement and quit writing letters. Go to court and listen to their case if you really believe they are innocent and then decide. Until then remember that there are children involved and remember their feelings. This is going to affect them for the rest of their lives.
Thank you
We have known Tracey for three years. We have worked in her room with her. We have seen how she cares for her children. We have NOT EVEN HEARD HER RAISE HER VOICE AT A CHILD!!!!!!!!!! (In the entire time we have known her). She has had some very difficult children that have attacked her and she did not do anything except stand still while two other teachers pried the child off of her. She is NOT GUILTY AND THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT — YOU CAN LIE TO MAN BUT NOT TO GOD!
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it.(Proverbs 18:21) Words can kill a person by ruining their reputation. Let me ask if you have ever been accused of anything in your life that was not true? We will all be held accountable for our words for “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” I can only speak about what I have observed and that is Tracy working patiently, calmly, and compassionately with children.
For the Children and “P” sound like the voice of reason!!
most people dont know how the justice system works until you are invovlved but DHR and the Attorney General don’t get invovled just because a kid hollers he whipped me too hard or the mother is out for revenge. There has to be strong evidence for the Attorney General to get involved. The children’s mother would be alright with the children going to their father’s house if they were happy there. It’s not all the happy and wonderful family that he portrays it to be. There are people in the community that know how he is. Just come to court so you can hear the truth for yourself.
Ps. No one has asked how the children are doing. Seems like everyone is worried about the adults.
Do they not have to have some kind of evidence to file these charges? I know you can go and attempt to press charges, but won’t the law enforcement people ask you for your proof? How did they get under $165,000 bonds without any evidence? I don’t know any of them, just wondering. I know you can say anything about anyone, but I think you have to have something besides accusations to have this happen. Sorry for the children. What a mess.
AMEN!
I Know Desmand And Tracy personally. I have two kids and would trust Desmand or Tracy any day and never worry about them being abused in any mential or physical way. These people are wonderful people and would do any thing for those kids. I think people need to get both sides of this story not just the devil’s. I don’t know why any one would rather there kids be in a foster home than be with there father. she cannt have them thats why she don’t want him to have them.
Innocent until proven guilty or guilty until proven innocent? I understand the need to insure the safety and well being of our nation’s children but sometimes we are hasty to convict on hearsay or circumstantial evidence, especially in a divorce or child custody cases. I can also understand the need to remove children from a potentially dangerous situation but to damage someone’s character or good name without sufficiently substantiating the allegations is completely irresponsible. Don’t get me wrong, if they are found to be guilty of these charges, I think it should be shouted from the rooftops, but until then, remove the children from this potentially dangerous environment and let the judicial system run its course. We should be very careful in the handling of this and other such volatile cases, because the next time a finger is pointed, it may be pointed at you.
Marlice,
It is also apparent which side of family you are on!! I do know the ex wife but I am not kin to her. I have been around the kids when they have cried about going to Desmond. You need to listen to the kids. This is about more than a few bruises. This is mental and physical abuse. All of these people that want to be character witnesses need to go to court and watch him. Gather everyone together and take a bus to see the proceedings.
i dont know these folks…but, i do know from personal experience that it can get very complicated when you have blended families and a bunch of step-parents and step-children who cant seem to get along w/each other, even for the greater good…i wonder if their attorney will suggest that they submit to lie detector testing for added clarity on this sad situation…..they certainly had a hefty bond levied against them…makes me wonder why
this is to address Tracey, Desmond and all character witnesses. The only true character witness that counts is God. God must have been on the children’s side because the truth has finally come out. They are no longer with the child abusers. Everyone needs to be concerned about the children and not Desmond and Tracey’s character. The fact that she is a teacher is very troubling. How does she displine her students at school? I would be very concerned about any child abuse. Shame on Desmond and Tracey for fooling their character witnesses. Remember the devil doesn’t come with horns on his head,and pitchfork in his hand but he always speaks with a forked tongue. The devil can come in many forms.
Well, it’s APPARENT to which family your associated with….
Makes me want to barf about how Desmond has fooled everyone!! You are right. There is two sides to every story. Some People act different at home than they do in town or church!!
When the truth comes out “finally” about this, everyone will know who is behind this. I won’t mention any names, but anyone and everyone that knows this other person involved knows the truth. Tracey and desmond are GOOD people who came from great families. They are christian, church going people that have raised their kids in church. There are a bunch of circumstances that the public does not know in this case. The truth WILL come out eventually and hopefully for ONCE this family will be left alone to live their lives. There is an older child involved here too and if SOMEONE would bother to listen to him, this could all be cleared up because he is in the home and sees and hears what is going on. Desmond and Tracy, we are behind you 100%, we know the REAL culprit behind this will be punished in the end. This one man has more character witnesses than most people have friends in this world…and everyone of us will stand up for either of you!
I know Desmond and Tracy personally and there is no way that this is true. The kids are all smiles and laughs when I see them with Desmond and Tracy. There are two sides to every story. I tip my hat to these two parents (Desmond and Tracy ) for what they have had to endure. God is with them all and with God, they will not fail. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all through this. There is light at the end of the tunnel for them and their family. Tracy has been a blessing to Desmond and those kids and they all love her very much and she returns the love in many ways. She has been an outstanding teacher, stepmom, wife, and friend.
no need for moderation on my comments – they are all public information if you take the time to look!
hhhhmmmmmm i wonder where all the lynch mobs are at on this one? could it be we have different rules for different things????????? i dont remember this attiitude on another child abuse story……..
I Don’t Believe any of this!!! Desmond and Tracy Linam are NOT guilty. Seeing the papers today, I wanted to throw up!!!
What happened to innocent until proven guilty? Why was it critical for all news sources to exploit the fact that she is a teacher? Tracey is a very concerned, sweet , caring teacher. Hopefully when this is over, she will be found (and will be) innocent.. I cannot believe she is guilty.