GENESEE COUNTY (WJRT) -
(02/10/12) - Parenting time has been suspended for the Mount Morris couple charged with sexually abusing their own infant daughter.
That baby will be placed in foster care.
A Genesee County family court referee issued those orders Friday afternoon.
Daniel and Alisha Hall were both present at that hearing and are both now back at the Genesee County Jail.
Investigators allege Daniel sexually abused his 6-month-old daughter while Alisha recorded the acts.
Police say they also recovered nearly 750 child porn pictures on the couple's home computers and cameras.
We now know the couple lived with his mother in Mt. Morris and that she has been caring for the baby recently.
She was also in court this afternoon.
The family court referee said she based some of her decision on statements that grandmother made, earlier this week, that she feared for her and her granddaughter's safety following news coverage of the allegations.
During the hearing, as she was trying to explain that she now feels safe, Daniel's mother said, "I love that baby. Never in a million years could I have..."
Then the referee advised her to stop talking.
The state's Department of Human Services was to remove the baby from the grandmother's Mt. Morris home Friday afternoon.
"With respect to grandma, we were concerned that she was in the home when some of the actions were perpetrated upon the child," said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton after the hearing.
"It's not a very large home. We think that either she knew or should have known what was going on and if she didn't know then what the heck was she doing in the house?"
Also new Friday, Mt. Morris Police are investigating whether Daniel had sexual contact with other children.
Police Chief Keith Becker said a couple Daniel used to live with contacted police Friday morning.
"It could go somewhere," Becker said.
Becker said he should know next week if there is anything to that tip.
This as we learn more about the couple at the center of the disturbing case.
During that family court hearing Friday afternoon, Alisha Hall's attorney asked for special accommodations in jail saying Alisha appears to be developmentally disabled and that she can't read.
She's 26 years old and now seven months pregnant.
As for Daniel Hall, transcripts of the hearing where he was charged earlier this week show he denied the allegations.
Daniel told the judge, "I don't believe I've done what they're saying I've done. I don't believe to be...I don't, I don't belong in here."
"Next week we're going to file a petition to terminate their parental rights," Leyton said.
Leyton said his office will also consider the possibility of federal charges instead for child porn possession, manufacturing and distributing.
The punishment could be greater, if there's a conviction.
"We're going to consider it for sure."
"The CSC (criminal sexual conduct) case is a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison. The toughest of all charges. We're keeping that," Leyton said.
