The family of a woman who died after her father left her with catastrophic brain injuries as a child have criticized the justice system as he prepares to be released.
Terrence Bice, 42, from Western Australia, was convicted and jailed twice for offenses relating to his daughter Teagen Ferguson.
In 2005, Bice was charged with serious bodily injury for violently throwing Teagen, who was two years old at the time, to the ground because she wouldn’t stop crying.
Teagen suffered a catastrophic brain injury and endured 16 chronic medical conditions before dying in June 2020 at age 18.
In September last year, Bice was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter following the death of his daughter.
Teagen Ferguson (pictured) died in June 2020 after suffering from 16 chronic medical conditions caused by a catastrophic brain injury when her father violently threw her to the ground when she was two years old.
Terrence Bice, 42, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after Teagen’s death and will be released on parole on Wednesday (pictured, Teagen as a toddler).
Bice is scheduled to be released on parole on Wednesday, but the Prisoner Review Board continues to conceal the reasons for the decision to release him.
It is understood that time already served was taken into account: Bice spent a total of five and a half years behind bars.
Teagen’s sister, Courtney, who was present when Bice violently threw Teagen, said she feels justice has not been served.
‘Yes, he was eligible to receive it, but it didn’t need to be granted to him. It doesn’t seem like justice at all. “It doesn’t seem like enough time,” Courtney said. WA today.
‘I feel like I deserve to know; I feel like it’s not fair that I don’t know (the reasons for Bice’s release).
“Not only did it destroy Teagen’s life, it destroyed mine.”
The girls’ aunt, Tanya Fogarty, said she was “angry” at the parole board for releasing Bice and for not offering the family an explanation for its decision.
“Although the law has held him responsible, he has not actually given enough time for the time he has taken from Teagen,” Ms Forgarty said.
Tragically, Teagen and Courtney’s mother, Kristy Ferguson, died of cancer just two weeks after Bice was sentenced for involuntary manslaughter.
“Since then, it’s been pretty traumatic and hard because Courtney was left without her sister and without her mother,” Fogarty said.
Tragically, Teagen’s mother, Kristy Ferguson, died of cancer just two weeks after Bice was sentenced for involuntary manslaughter.
Teagen’s sister, Courtney, 23, said she felt justice had not been served and is struggling with the emotional and mental pain of the deaths of her mother and sister.
Fogarty added that Courtney struggles emotionally and mentally due to the death of her mother and what happened to her sister.
Courtney’s family created a GoFundMe page to help the 23-year-old recover from the trauma.
Courtney explained that her sister “never gave up” and fought every day with a smile on her face.
“I’m trying to raise some money… to take that little bit of financial stress off of Courtney and make things a little easier for her at a time when she really needs it,” Fogarty wrote.
As of this writing, the fund has received seven donations totaling $425 and has a goal of raising $3,500.
