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Police identify parents

The abandoned tots are recognized by kin.

By ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published November 8, 2006

TAMPA - Sgt. Julia Massucci, head of Tampa police's family violence unit, has seen plenty of pain and dysfunction.

But even Massucci was stunned as the 3-year-old girl calmly explained that her daddy beat her mommy until she bled, tried to run over her mommy with a car and then abandoned the children.

"That really concerned and alarmed me," Massucci said. "It seemed to her like that's natural."

Police say the 3-year-old knew what she was talking about.

Early Tuesday, Terry Latimore, 35, and his girlfriend, Christina Lorn Latimore, 24, were driving around near Busch Boulevard with their 1-year-old son and Christina Latimore's 3-year-old daughter, police say.

Though the couple shares the same last name, police could not find a marriage record for them.

Both have lengthy criminal records. Terry Latimore has been arrested 26 times in Florida on charges including aggravated assault, burglary and kidnapping. His alias is T Nasty.

The couple had just left a motel on Busch, when they began to argue, police say. Christina Latimore was either pushed out or climbed out of the couple's car. She tried to get the kids out, too, but her boyfriend drove away with them, police say.

About 45 minutes later, a man came to a home in the 8600 block of 14th Street. It was Terry Latimore. A woman let him use her phone because he had two small children with him, she told police. Terry Latimore ducked out for a cigarette and disappeared.

The children's grandmother later saw their photos on television and identified them for police, who launched a massive search for Christina Latimore.

With the aid of her family, investigators found Christina Latimore searching for the children in Sulphur Springs. She told police she hadn't come forward because she had a warrant for her arrest.

Police said it's up to child protective investigators to figure out who will care for the children.

By Tuesday evening, Christina Latimore was held without bail at the county jail on charges of violating probation, records show. Police had not found Terry Latimore.

Researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this report.

[Last modified November 8, 2006, 01:40:55]