MCINTOSH COUNTY, Ga. – A South Georgia family is dealing with what they call a tough situation.
A man who was convicted of child molestation has just been released from prison, and the mother of the victim says now they have to relive their nightmare over Christmas.
Moses Blackshear from McIntosh County was convicted of child molestation in 2011. The mother of the victim is now upset, saying he was released a month early, and she had no time to prepare her daughter.
"Every time I look at her it pains me," said Renee Mathis. "I walk off and cry because I take the blame for it because as a mom, I was always supposed to protect her and I didn't."
Mathis now feels she let her daughter down again. She said her daughter was repeatedly molested by Blackshear when she was between the ages of 8 and 11.
Mathis said Blackshear, 61, was supposed to serve a 3-year sentence, which she said would have ended next month.
However, Mathis said she just learned from a detective who investigated the case that the Department of Corrections let him out Monday. She wants to know why DOC didn't notify her.
"He was supposed to stay in until January 24th, 2014," Mathis said, "but I was under the impression from them telling me to do the victim's assistance that I would actually be notified, that I would be notified of everything that went on. I wasn't."
Channel 4 tried to get answers as to why Blackshear was released a month early. The McIntosh County Sheriff who investigated the case didn't know.
Channel 4 also contacted the DOC but their office was closed for the holiday, and we were unable to reach Blackshear's attorney at the phone number we were given.
According to his son, Blackshear is on house arrest. He'll also have to complete 12 years of probation, and register as a sex offender.