Court hearing delayed for MS man accused of child abuse
PANOLA, County. — A Panola County mother is seeking justice against the man charged with severely beating her three children back in 2023 leaving them battered, bruised, and traumatized.
Dalton Melton is charged with felony child abuse, domestic violence, and aggravated assault. He was scheduled for a plea hearing on Monday morning in Batesville.
“I love y’all and I’m sorry. I’m sorry drugs made me do the things I done, there you go,” Melton said while in court.
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Melton’s ex-wife Robin had high hopes that Monday’s hearing would bring some degree of justice but was disappointed the plea hearing has been delayed until July.
She also says she’s angered that a potential plea deal from Melton’s attorney would put Melton back on the street sooner than she or her children want.
“This has been going on for almost a year now and my kids still suffer from this every day,” she said. “My kids have to walk the streets every day and now they’re scared he might get out and they might have to walk the same streets with him? No.”
She says she is pushing for Melton to serve 20 years on the charges, longer if possible.
“My youngest child is four years old,” she said. “I at least, at least want my baby to be grown before he even has the possibility of parole.”
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Robin says she is frustrated that Melton continues to accuse her of neglecting her children, those accusations make emotional wounds harder to heal.
“Bring it, if I did something, pull it out. If not, shut the h** up. Cause he has nothing, nothing on me other than he went a little too far this time and he can’t get out of it,” she said. “I served him divorce papers in there today, sure did.”
Melton’s attorney and the District Attorney were not available for comment.
Melton is in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Correction and was returned to Parchman State Penitentiary.
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