Desmond Hatchett says 21 children is enough for him.
As if Octomom wasn't bad enough, a Tennessee man, 29 year old Desmond Hatchett has now fathered at least 21 children he can't support. Hatchett was in child support court again last week. His name appeared on the dockett 11 times in one day, representing 15 of his children.
Hatchett says he wasn't out to set a record. He says he never intended to have this many children, "It just happened." He fathered the children by at least 11 different women and he claims all of the mothers knew about his large family. The children range in age from newborn to 11 years old.
The question Knox County officials now face is how to support all these children. Hatchett works a minimum wage job and by law the state can only take 50% of his paycheck for child support. By the time that money is split 21 ways, some of the mothers get less than $2 per month. That leaves the taxpayers footing a large portion of the bill for these children.
Even though Hatchett can't support the children he has, there is nothing the state can do to prevent him from having more. Hatchett reports that he had 4 children in one year, twice. He says he's done having children now, but only time will tell. He does say that he's a good father and knows the names, ages, and birthdates of all of his children.
All of the blame can't be placed on Hatchett in this case. One has to wonder about the women who chose to have his children. In the end, the children and the taxpayers of Tennessee will pay for their choices for years to come.
Author's note: I understand that this is a heated issue and I'm trying not to censor the comments but please refrain from personal attacks and/or racial slurs in your comments. Thank you!
Comments
Wow, that makes me sick. "I'm a good dad because I can tell you the names and ages of all my children." "
Johnny Appleseed
I have two children and thats really hard for me to take care of i cant even imagine twenty-one
"All of the blame can't be placed on Hatchett in this case. One has to wonder about the women who chose to have his children."
And if it was a woman with 21 kids, you probably wouldn't have said anything about the fathers, unless you were claiming that she "oopsed" them. Nice double standard.
Danny - I'm not sure I understand your statement. Are you saying that all of the attention should be on the man in this case and the women shouldn't be mentioned?
If there were a woman who 21 children by 11 different men, I would also question the judgment of the men who CHOSE to father the children.
I don't see the double standard you're talking about.
wow. maybe a case like this will open people's minds to the idea that choice = responsiblity. The women in this case are the ones that had a reproductive choice, not the man impregnating them. they should therefore be responsible for the cost, the parenting, etc. (along with any welfare benefits they happen to qualify for). read roe v. wade. it doesn't guantee abortion to women specifically, but rather guarantees their choice to parent or not to parent. equal protection under the law makes this
got cut off. anyway, the system caused this. there SHOULD be an economic incentive (for women)to marry if you're going to have children. the child support system is a disincentive.is 11 women and 21 children prove it.
Jay Mills - The only people who are innocent in this case are the children. The man had a choice just like the women did. Once the babies were conceived, the choice of whether to continue the pregnancy or abort fell to the women, but the man had just as much choice about creating the babies as the women did. He's no innocent victim.
K. Nelson,
Are you quoting because I do not think that is what was meant in the article. He is not saying he is good dad because he knows the names and ages of his children. He is highlighting his relationship with his children. You will be surprised to know that there are people with one child and don't have such relationship.
Who's fault is it that there is a male shortage in the African-American communities? What else should a women do? Everyone deserves love and affection.
Make this a crime as well as a shame-both women and men. Both should be held accountable and responsible for their choices. How is this different than professional prostitutes? They don't make babies with each trick.
This guy should be neutered but instead I'll just keep working harder to support his kids. I hate people, I really do.
"The man had a choice just like the women did. Once the babies were conceived, the choice of whether to continue the pregnancy or abort fell to the women, but the man had just as much choice about creating the babies as the women did. He's no innocent victim." Like i said, Barbara, read Roe v. Wade--your argument makes no sense; the issue is whether or not parenthood can be forced upon a citizen of these United States, at least that's the question Roe v. Wade tackles...NOT a question about women
and their abortion rights. To argue that the man's choice ended at conception and the women's (when exactly) has been extended to include dropping the baby off anonymously at a firestation or hospital (yes, this is true) and this is somehow an equal application of the law, is beyond ridiculous. It's intellectually dishonest. Real feminists believe in equal rights, and know that the concept biological paternity is a feudal holdover and has no place in modern law.
And Pinkie, the fault of the shortage of african-american men in their communties is largely a fault of an unequal usage of unfair drug laws along with historical disadvantages causes by slavery and Jim Crow. However, the fault (or rather cause) of the baby is squarely on you--it's your body, not his, that gets pregnant. There are ways to get love and affection without a resulting pregnancy. There's a natural law concerning these things that the modern system messes up. You WOULD choose (natural
ly) a male that would be a good provider, and procure the committment of marriage, if that was still necessary. The child support system interferes with natural laws. Women are supposed to be the gatekeepers of their own bodies. Period.
since the state has to pay for his 21 kids, the state should also be able to force him to have a vasectomy. Although I agree with Jay Mills, though, a woman can't have 4 babies in a year & a man doesn't have to carry the child inside of him for 9 months. If you chose to have a child by a worthless man, then maybe u should chose to support it
He's an embarrassment to the black race!
I think it's a sad situation all the way around. Both him and the females he got pregnant are to blame in my opinion. There are plenty of ways to prevent the pregnancy so we don't even have to discuss abortion. How about SAFE sex!! He has obviously found 11 women with very low self-esteem. It's apparent he has mutiple kids by some of these women. They can somehow justify continuing to sleep with him, without being in a committed relationship. How messed up is it that you could run into one his p
pregant baby momma's at the grocery store, and your pregnant with his baby too and the two women behing you in line are pregnant too!!!! I can only pray that they all wisen up before they end up with something that can't be aborted or cured!!!
he need to tested for the virus
HE NEEDS TO TESTED FOR THE VIRUS
Any man who choose to keep having children and not use protect need to snipped and when should want the man of child or children to be a responsible father who about them (the mother)and his child or children well being.
Many of you ladies here fail to see the BIG Picture; The Word says that it is GOD who is the giver and taker of life.
Your tax dollars may have to go to support the Children of this Man..... but, why arent you crying about your dollars that are earmarked for the War that is taking the lives of these grown babies.
I would also point to many of you ladies who are or know many Women who are the recipient of MORE Child Support than she deserves because the Father is compensated quite well.
His sperm is dynamic! Don't want none.
don't place the blame solely on this guy, it was the "sorry ass women" who decided to 1. lay down with him 2. her idea to get pregnant 3.and failed to realize the problems with raising a child by her self. If you check back with these women, I would venture to say they have other children by someother guy as well. Still haven't learned their lesson on life.
BOTH PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE, THE CHILDREN ARE THE ONES GOING TO BE SUFFERING. WHAT ABOUT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE? THIER FUTURE? OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE 2 IRRESPONSIBLE PARENTS NOT QUALIFIED TO BE PARENTS THAT ARE IN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES AND ALL OF USE TAX PAYERS TO SUPPORT THEM. THIS IS A BAD SITUATION FOR EVERYONE.
Look it takes two people to make a baby.. And before you go on and have one you have to think that should there ever be a time that I will have to do this on my own can I do it...
@ Lodown- your a genius.
GO GET YOUR STUFF CHITE
I blame the dumb women who know about all of his children, yet they get pregnant by him. How can he be a good father if he can't support them? This is just sad.
I say shame on the mothers.....If they knew this man had a numerous amount of children, they knew from the jump that their children could not be supported... I don't want a child from a man who has three children.... So once he told that he was up to ten...Same on the Baby Mama's.. It's gonna break them before it break him..$$$$
Thats terrible I work to hard to get taxed for sorry women who wont work,he at least has a piece of a job....One word Condoms!!!!!!!!!
Well, its sucks that this falls on the taxpayers, but I pretty sure that one person's tax dollars alone are paying for them. Our tax dollars go to other questionable stuff as well, like fighting wasteful and useless wars across the atlantic. Anyways, this is crazy though. I just dont understand why he wouldn't strap it up. Is he Amish?! jeez...
People, People, stop and think.. which of you have the power to add one moment of life to your life by worrying about what you do not understand. God is in control of everything under the Sun; (Plez believ dat).
With that in mind, I wonder what positive is going to come out of these 21 blessing to the city, God sees the End of a thing before He begins.
And to you every Sunday going to Church wanna be Christians..... Shame on you! for voicing a worldly opinion on a Godly Purpose and Plan.
You can't blame the women,lol!!! I blame them because he stated that the women knew of his "LARGE FAMILY" and they still got pregnant by him. That's ridiculous and it wasn't just her fault it was hers also. She didn't have sex with herself he made love to her. They both are to blame because they're nasty as hell to have laid down with him knowing he already had 50 kids knowing it's too many std's going around and not to forget, H.I.V. AIDS.
Give it a rest everyone Please. This country and ours laws are full of extremes, good and bad. Tell your congressmen to stop sponsoring child support. This will cut out the stupid. Just remember there are prob. more people in this country that need and/or can qualify for child support, but do NOT use it. I would worry more about your money being spent to bail out dinosaur sic Mortgage and Car Companies.
Animals screw, eat, and sleep. Next? Who is shocked by this?
We need to educate more female on what could happen when you have a baby by a man who dont care about you or his self by fathering all those kids.I belive he knews he could not support them all.The court system need to take all his money.
Why do we blame the men?....and how does everyone know that the state pays for those kids. Even women who work deal with nothing a** men so who knows he may be the best dad ever it does not take lots of money to be a good father. I dont have a lot of money and I am an excellent mother and I dont get any assistance from agency. leave those people alone...
It's really the kids that suffer for their parents' stupidity. It's disgusting really. Even if these women didn't know that he had a large family, they all had children with him and knew that he was supporting their kids..but continued to lay down with him. When you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas. I just pray for these children that they don't make the same mistakes. The government needs to find some solution. You can make him stop having kids..if you put him in jail and throw away th
I really feel sorry for the children to end up with 2 irresponsible parents. Young people, please think before you start screwing. Young women, before you make babies, think about how many baby mamas there is. If he is not with one of them, what makes you think he will stay with you, let alone marry you. You all do know what that is. Keep your clothes on or strap up. THAT'S IT!!!!!!!!!
Hey give him a TV show "The Man with 21" you gave Jon & Kay a show with 8!! And they have a so call happy life.
Hi,
My brother's name is also Desmond and has 18 children.
Not all of the blame should be on this man. These stupid women need to be held responsible too. If they are not working, they need to be working now. What makes them think that they are going to be #1 when they are #11. If you know men are no good, stop giving it up to them everytime you hear "I love you" and stop having babies with them!
its a sad situation these adults have made for themselves and especially for their children...because in the end the children pay the price...$2.00 is not enough to support anyone...and as for RAMBONE you must be one of those paying fathers with a good paying job and if your not than you shouldnt even made a comment about childsupport because i was married and divorced and i worked my ass off to support my child and no matter how much money you as a man makes you should want to do everything you
I pray that the women of these children come together and raise their children in a way that they will know that they are brothers and sisters. Don't hold a grudge against the children getting to know each other, it's not their fault. That will be the time when you know that you have passed being a baby's mama and become a real woman/mother. Men will be men and they can only do what you allow them to do. Put on condoms......
Are all these chilren his?
It is easy to claim 21 when you are not actually doing anything for them. Yes, he is in court for child support, but what is $2.00 per child.
To The Rod-yes, giving birth is a wonderful gift from God, but it must be done in a responsible way. Going to church does not mean a person cannot say what's right and what's wrong. God is in control but He also made us to use common sense every now and then. There are too many children born to single parent homes and the kind of reckless behavior exhibited by the man and all these baby mommas needs to come to a screeching halt!!
We can point fingers at both men and women in this whole “baby mama” / “baby daddy” social dynamic, but what I really wonder is when we are going to stop and smell the reality roses that have been placed right in front of us. Whether married, single, adopting, fostering, or whatever the case may be, one cannot ever count on the support of anyone but themselves. Want more for yourself and your children than a welfare check and child support. Stop giving your power away and start looking to yours
A single mother of two and I get no help. This man needs to get two jobs and the mother of these children need to get a job if she does not have one. Thats wrong with the world today. We sit back and just let them do this and the people who work have to pay. GET HIM FIXED!
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