By Amber Allen
White County News Telegraph
September 8, 2006
The short life of a Douglas County boy who was born addicted to crack cocaine ended in White County a year and a half ago at a wilderness camp for troubled boys, touching off a case that has been presented to a grand jury twice and seen two nearly identical indictments.
Six Outdoor Therapeutic Program counselors were arraigned for a second time Wednesday in the boy's death (see related story).
Travis Parker was born May 18, 1991, and had been cared for by his grandmother Golden P. Griffin of Douglas County for most of his life. Records show Travis had not seen his mother in about four years, and his father died of a heart attack when Travis was 5.
Travis died April 21, 2005, at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston after being restrained the day before by the six OTP counselors for nearly an hour and a half.
Griffin has filed a civil suit against the state Department of Human Resources over her grandson's death, and her lawyers have joined White County District Attorney Stan Gunter in accusing the counselors of murder.
But the counselors' attorneys have introduced evidence to show that Travis was, at minimum, a very difficult boy with a history of violence.
The list of following incidents begin as far back as 1998, when he was about 7 years old:
• Between 1998 and 2001, he committed simple battery against a woman in Douglas County. In November 1998, Travis followed her into the women's bathroom and slapped her, breaking the skin on her lip. He continued to harass her, and in January 2001, when he was 9, he punched, hit and slapped her and refused to stop.
• In April 1999, he committed simple battery, made terroristic threats and had disorderly conduct against a teacher at Factory Shoals Elementary School in Douglas County. After disobeying directions from the teacher, he threatened to kill her, using racial slurs.
• Later that month, he committed the acts of terroristic threats and disorderly conduct against a paraprofessional at the same school. After being taken into custody, Travis made suicidal threats.
• In May 1999, when he was 8, he committed the acts of terroristic threats, disorderly conduct and simple battery against the same parapro and a Douglas County sheriff's deputy. Travis threatened to beat up the parapro and fought with the deputy as he was escorted from the school.
• In November 2000, when he was 9, he committed simple battery against a Douglas County woman outside a church. Travis pushed the woman to the ground and jumped on her, knocking the wind out of the woman. He also threatened to “drop kick” her.
• In April 2002, when he was 10, Travis committed the acts of simple assault, reckless conduct and disturbing a public school when he was asked to leave a school bus by the same teacher listed in the second incident. He refused and was physically removed by the teacher, the principal and assistant principal. He also tried to bite his teacher.
• In September 2002, when he was 11, Travis committed the acts of battery and disrupting a public school at Chestnut Log Middle School in Douglas County when he became upset with his homeroom teacher. He balled up his fist and hit her, cutting her lip.
• In May 2004, when he was 12, he committed the acts of carrying a weapon in a school safety zone and aggravated assault when he pointed a BB gun at a bus full of elementary school students.
• In September 2004, when he was 13, he committed the acts of criminal trespass and interference with an emergency telephone call during a fight with his grandmother. Travis was upset because she wouldn't take him to the video store to rent a video game and kicked a screen door and damaged it. When she tried to call 911, Travis unplugged the phone.
• Later that month in two separate incidents, he committed the acts of simple battery and disorderly conduct against two boys, punching one boy in the eye and kicking the other in the arm.
• In October 2004, Travis committed the act of simple battery against a boy during a fire drill at a Douglas County school. Records say that Travis hit the boy in the back in a fight over a plastic fork.
• Later that month, he committed the act of disorderly conduct against his teacher in an alternative program called Haven at Chestnut Log Middle School in Douglas County when he directed profanity at her.
• Again that month, Travis committed the acts of simple battery and disorderly conduct against a Douglas County sheriff's deputy at the county courthouse. After being sentenced in juvenile court, Travis fought with the deputy, trying to kick and head-butt her, and also made suicidal threats.
• In February 2005, now at the OTP camp in White County, Travis shoved a fellow camper in the face and refused to follow commands of Johnny Harris, who is a defendant in the case of Travis' death. As punishment, Travis was restrained for 30 minutes.
• Later that month at OTC, Travis became upset, refused to follow commands and fought with Mathew Desing, another defendant in the case, and another counselor. During the fight, Travis spat at and kicked Desing. As punishment, he was placed in a restraint which he fought for about 30 minutes.
• In March 2005 at OTC, he fought and struggled with Desing, swinging his arms and trying to kick him while also using profanity. As punishment, he was placed in a restraint which he fought for 15 minutes.
• Later that month at OTC, Travis threatened a counselor, and physically resisted and tried to spit on the counselor. He fought counselors in a physical restraint for about 35 minutes.
• On April 6, 2005, at OTC, Travis tried to bite a counselor on two occasions and spat on him. He fought counselors in a restraint for about 45 minutes.
• On April 11, 2005, at OTC, he verbally threatened a counselor, advanced toward him with a balled-up fist and physically resisted when placed in a restraint. Travis also spit on the counselor and tried to gouge him with his fingernails. Counselors Paul Binford and Torbin Vining, both defendants in the case, were witnesses and helped restrain Travis, which lasted about 45 minutes.
• On April 15, 2005, at OTC, Travis became verbally abusive at fellow campers and refused to comply with commands. He fought, kicked and acted in an out-of-control manner for an extended period of time, according to the documents, with Harris and Desing. Travis was placed in a restraint which he fought for about one hour and 15 minutes.
• On April 17, 2005, at OTC, Travis verbally threatened his fellow campers, made unauthorized physical contact with them and fought and struggled with a counselor. He was placed in a restraint for about 30 minutes.
• Later that day, at OTC, Travis refused to follow commands and spit upon, fought with and struck a counselor in the head. He was placed in a restraint during which he threatened to kill the counselor. Travis fought the counselors in the restraint for about 50 minutes.
During an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Golden family lawyer Michael Tyler said Travis had a loving relationship with his grandmother.
“Travis Parker was a much-loved child with many special qualities,” he told the AJC in May 2005.
In 2004, after hitting his grandmother and threatening her with a knife, he was put on probation and his uncle stepped in to care for him. That ended quickly once the uncle obtained a restraining order against him because Travis had threatened him, according to DHR records.
