A Nelson County Circuit judge has denied Sherry Ballard the right to see her grandson, the son of her missing daughter, Crystal Rogers. 35-year-old Rogers was reported missing by her mother five years ago. She has not been heard from since July 3, 2015. Two days after her disappearance, her car was found abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire. Keys, phone and wallet were still there. Roger’s former boyfriend Brooks Houck is the father of the child in question and the only suspect ever named in their disappearance, but he has not brought charges. The child was 2 years old when Rogers disappeared. Ballard, the child’s grandmother, fought for custody to see the child. Rogers’ other four children are currently living with her. The custody case began in 2015. The Ballards were granted limited temporary visits, but these were reversed a year later. Then a new subsection of the state’s visiting law for grandparents became the law for grandparents who seek to visit a grandchild when the parent who is that grandparent’s child has passed away. An appeals court found the new legal provisions to be constitutional. The Kentucky Supreme Court found the new regulations unconstitutional. A hearing on Sherry Ballard’s request for temporary and permanent visits was held in September. According to an appeals court ruling, much of the testimony at the September hearing focused on the animosity between Houck and the Ballard family. The following month, a judge denied Ballard temporary visits. Nelson Circuit Judge Stephen Hayden said Ballard was ultimately denied permanent rights due to the large family gap. He feared that the hostility might cause emotional harm to the child. Sherry Ballard and Brooke Ballard, Crystal’s younger sister, both testify that they have publicly made negative comments about Houck since Rogers’ disappearance. Sherry Ballard has participated in podcasts, local news, and a televised miniseries in which she believes Houck killed her daughter. Despite these actions, Hayden testified that the Ballard family testified in court that they had no comments and would not give up Rogers’ child. Court records described the child’s living conditions with Houck as “stable” and considered Ballard’s visitation rights unnecessary. “He lives with his father Houck, the house he has lived in since he was born. EPH is now old enough to go to school. Childcare is offered if necessary by members of the Houck or Crystal Maupin family,” it says in Court documents. Houck has said he believed contact with the Ballard family would alienate him from his son. The FBI is still investigating Rogers’ disappearance, her remains never being discovered.
NELSON COUNTY, Ky. –
A Nelson County Circuit judge has denied Sherry Ballard the right to see her grandson, the son of her missing daughter, Crystal Rogers.
35-year-old Rogers was reported missing by her mother five years ago. She has not been heard since July 3, 2015.
Two days after the disappearance, her car was found abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire. Her keys, phone, and purse were still in there.
Rogers’ former boyfriend Brooks Houck is the father of the child in question and the only suspect ever named in her disappearance, but he has not brought charges.
The child was 2 years old when Rogers disappeared.
Ballard, the child’s grandmother, fought for custody to see the child. Rogers’ other four children are currently living with her.
The custody case began back in 2015. The Ballards were granted limited temporary visits but these were reversed a year later.
Then a new subsection of the state’s visiting law for grandparents became the law for grandparents who seek to visit a grandchild when the parent who is that grandparent’s child has passed away.
An appeals court found the new legal provisions to be constitutional. The Kentucky Supreme Court found the new regulations unconstitutional.
There was a hearing back in September on Sherry Ballard’s request for temporary and permanent visits.
According to an appeals court ruling, much of the testimony at the September hearing focused on the animosity between Houck and the Ballard family. The following month, a judge denied Ballard temporary visits.
Stephen Hayden, a Nelson Circuit judge, said Ballard was ultimately denied permanent rights due to the large family gap. He feared that the hostility might cause emotional harm to the child.
Sherry Ballard and Brooke Ballard, Crystal’s younger sister, both testify that they have publicly made negative comments about Houck since Rogers’ disappearance. Sherry Ballard has participated in podcasts, local news and a televised miniseries in which she believes Houck killed her daughter.
Despite these acts, Hayden said the Ballard family testified in court that they did not and would not make any comments in front of Rogers’ child.
Court records described the living conditions of the child with Houck as “stable” and considered Ballard’s visitation rights unnecessary.
“He lives with his father Houck, the house he has lived in since he was born. EPH is now old enough to go to school. Childcare is offered if necessary by members of the Houck or Crystal Maupin family,” it says in Court documents.
Houck has said he believed contact with the Ballard family would alienate him from his son.
The FBI is still investigating Rogers’ disappearance, her remains never being discovered.
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