The adoptive grandfather of Erica Lynn Parsons, the teenager who has been missing for two years, spoke with media Wednesday following a break in the custody hearing to determine if Erica’s adoptive parents will regain custody of their two youngest children.
Sandy and Casey Parsons were thrust into the spotlight after their biological son, James “Jamie” Parsons reported Erica, 15, missing. He told Rowan County Sheriff’s Office investigators on July 30 that he’d not seen his sister since November 2011.
Casey and Sandy maintain they allowed Erica to go live with a woman whom they knew as her biological grandmother, Irene “Nan” Goodman. The Parsonses met Goodman at a Mooresville restaurant, they said, and believed Erica was going with her to Asheville.
Investigators have said they can find no proof that Goodman exists, and other family members say she does not.
The same week Jamie reported Erica missing, Rowan Social Services placed the two youngest children — Sadie and Toby — in the custody of Casey’s parents, Shirley and James Stone.
A teary-eyed James Stone told reporters today he hopes his daughter never gets her kids back.
He reportedly testified during the hearing Wednesday. He did not speak about the specifics of his testimony, but did share details of Erica’s interaction with Jamie.
He said Erica “was mean, and Jamie was always after her. We never suspected anything.”
Stone said Erica and Jamie were always fighting. He said, “she’d bring a lot of it on … but Jamie was mean, too.”
Family members have said they witnessed routine mental and physical abuse by Casey and Sandy against Erica.
Stone said he and his wife did not know anything about his daughter and the alleged abuse, but wishes they had “spotted it quicker.”
District Court Judge Lillian Jordan closed the courtroom Tuesday to everyone except family and those involved to the case. The courtroom remained closed to unrelated parties on Wednesday.
The hearing resumes this afternoon.