Family Law

Allegedly Beaten By 15-Year-Old Son, Texas Mom Must Pay His Legal Bills

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A Texas woman who says she was severely beaten by her 15-year-old son after she asked him to do his chores last year is being treated as a crime victim.

But Teresa Fuller is also the teen’s mother, which makes her responsible for his legal bills, explains the El Paso Times. She reportedly makes slightly too much for the family to qualify for a public defender.

Similarly, another catch-22 precludes her from obtaining a protective order against her son: As his mother and legal guardian, she is the only one of the two who could be held responsible for obeying it, a spokesman for El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal tells the newspaper.

“As a victim, I don’t feel like I should have to pay,” Fuller says.

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