Fallen country star Mindy McCready’s interview with 20/20 aired on Friday. We’ve previously heard segments in which she defended the fact that she kidnapped her son from his grandmother, the boy’s legal guardian, by claiming that he was her property since she gave birth to him. (That’s pretty much what she said, but not in those exact words.) She also made some vague allegations of abuse against her mother. In the full interview, I didn’t get a better impression of Mindy at all. She seemed just as defensive and in the wrong as she has in the past. However I sort-of believed her story about her mother potentially abusing Zander. It was hard to tell if she was telling the truth or not.
On how the police response to her kidnapping her son was overkill
“It was a swat team. They had riot gear. Assault rifles. Zander saw all of it.”On if she was hiding in the closet with Zander when the cops came
“We were sitting on the couch. I think that [the closet version] just makes a better story.”On how Zander saved her life
“I couldn’t imagine loving something so much that instead of wanting to just lay down and die I wanted to stand up and fight… I lived for Zander, and I live for him still.”On why she kidnapped Zander from Florida
“I have tried to comply (air quotes). I have tried to follow the rules of the court. I have tried to be heard through the system. I did what the system told me to do in overabundance… for four years. After four years, do you know what I got, nothing. I didn’t even get unsupervised visitation.”On if she worried about the risk by taking Zander
“No. I’m his mother, I would risk anything, my life, my freedom. I would risk anything for my child.”On if she knowingly broke the law
“I do not, and will not ever think that me taking my child that I carried for nine months that I gave birth to in the hospital by myself would ever be breaking the law. What I did is to protect my child.”On her mother, Zander’s guardian
“That sweet grandmother is not sweet at all. He says that nana is so mean that her heart is black, and that she’s so mean she doesn’t know how to be nice anymore.”Mindy’s grandmother issued an affidavit that her daughter (Mindy’s mom) abused Zander.
They showed an affidavit from Mindy’s grandmother claiming that she witnessed harsh discipline from the grandmother to Zander involving him being “jerked by the arm” and “hit with a wooden spoon.” She wrote that “I feared Zander would be physically harmed permanently.”Mindy on her son’s scars from his grandmother
“There are scars on Zander’s back, there are scars on his bottom and his legs from the spoon.”On her mom’s cult religion, “treasures of the snow.”
“My mother believes that she is a prophet sent from God. They see dead people in their home all the time, spirits, ghosts.”On her own rough upbringing
“I grew up where I suffered every day, where I suffered every night. The mental and physical abuse never ended.”Mindy’s mom defends herself.
“I have been Zander’s guardian for four and a half years. There has been all kinds of scrutiny. He has never been abused in our care.”Mindy on why she’ll be a good mom now
“I have vigorously gone out and tried to learn from my mistakes… There’s nobody that wants to be better at being me than me.”
Just because I find this woman narcissistic and distasteful doesn’t mean she’s not telling the truth about her son. However, that’s doesn’t change the fact that she kidnapped him cross country and is now complaining that the police response was overkill. (20/20 claimed that the police in Florida said that it wasn’t a crime. However if that was the case why were the US Marshalls there? It doesn’t add up.) That doesn’t change the fact that the court never granted her unsupervised visitation. This whole story is just sad for Zander. I don’t give a crap about Mindy.
Mindy would not reveal the Arkansas court’s ruling on Zander’s fate last week since it was sealed, but she said that Zander remains in Arkansas and that’s where he’ll stay. He’s currently with a foster family. Mindy claims to be six months pregnant with twins.
Mindy’s full interview with 20/20:
Nuttier than a f’ing fruitcake! Smoke some more crack!
Pauline…. if you have nothing to say… go play outside
What Pauline said was 100% the truth. McCready is a crazy crackhead.
She was never a crackhead, she was an alcoholic and I think she’s recovered.
She also a pill popper and prescription abuser. Takes all kinda of stuff in addition to the booze.
Hmm, I’m starting to lean toward her side. The affidavit from Granny…I mean, why would Granny lie…and against her own daughter?
not only that, but as someone who has family that has gone through Florida’s family court system, i can see how she would be frustrated – i have witnessed first-hand how many obstacles the agencies’ down here put on mothers and fathers trying to get their kids back… i am not saying she did things the proper way, just that i can empathize with her frustration
I wonder how old is McNeedy’s granny, was she fully aware of the contests of the document she signed and the ramifications?
She could be off her trolly like her grandaughter.
because family f-ck each other over all the time, unfortunately. I hope this isn’t true for the babies sake, Zander and the ones she may be expecting. I hope she gets her shite together and I hope grandma isn’t losing her shit with that wooden spoon. those things hurt =/
After all the trouble she’s had, I’m skeptical that she’s really turned it all around and is ready to be a great and present mother. And she is definitely sending a bad message for other parents out there with custody issues in the court systems. That poor kid.
McCready has been a manipulative, cracked-out liar and thief for years now. Those of us who follow Country music knew this waaaay before she was on Celebrity REhab. I would almost believe Linnocent over her.
And why the hell wasn’t she arrested???
Oh, and she hasn’t gotten visitation in four years because SHE IS AN ADDICT!!! She went on Celeb Rehab and said she was an addict, for God;s sake.
Its hard to tell who’s lying or who’s lying more/most. Very sad.
I hate reading this, it makes me weep inside for that poor boy.
How does a wooden spoon leave “scars”? I can believe bruises, but scars?
Look, I think Mindy M. is probably not really able to be a good mom right now. Obviously she has not come to terms with her demons and is not responsible and in control of her life.
That said, if it comes down to placing a child with a religious fanatic who “spanks” (aka beats) a child and a recovering addict whose recovery is wobbly, I would put that kid with the addict EVERY freaking time. Because an addict *can* get better. But someone who has spent her whole life imbibing an extremist religious ideology probably won’t change.
I’d never, ever, ever wish that kind of brainwashing on a kid. (It’s why I feel like the Duggars are emotionally abusive).
Umm. Those aren’t the only choices. She needs to get her shit together BEFORE she gets any sort of custody. Maybe grandma was abusing this child. Sounds like foster placement is in this child’s best interest. A child seeing their parent use drugs can be considered a form of abuse. And it would be hard to imagine a child in the care of a junkie isn’t being neglected or abused in some other way.
I agree with Linday, but note, she said *IF* it comes down to abusive religious fanatic versus recovering addict; not that those necessarily were the only options. Obviously, the fact that this child is in non-relative foster placement at the moment (presumably)confirms this.
I’ve been working in and around the system for the past six years, and I can say that the damage done by direct emotional/physical abuse surpasses that of neglect (which in its own right can be extremely damaging). The internalizing by children of emotional and physical abuse is deep-rooted and difficult to undo. The abuse is almost always translated as a direct valuation on the child’s worth.
Neglect too is terrible, but in the long-run, *often* easier to come to terms with and overcome.
Either way, I hope things turn around for little Zander soon, because despite the fact that it’s all of the adults in his life who have failed, he’s the one suffering the most.
McCready is known for being attracted to violent and abusive men, so no.
Also, have you ever lived with an addict? I have. I wouldn’t trust them with a houseplant.
And, as another poster said, those aren’t the only two options for the child.
Also, McCready’s brother says she is lying about their mother.
Whya re so many posters taking her at her word??? She is like Linnocent X two and three.
I dont listen to country music and Ive heard what a mess this chick is. I dont think she should have ANY kids under her care honestly. And for all the posters saying she’s a mess because of her home life, no, dont go there. I dont believe for a second just because a junkie blames their parents for their failure’s it true.
I think that there has to be some more precision with words here. There is a big difference between an alcoholic and a recovering alcoholic, same with “junky”.
Mindy’s past drug use is well documented, but is she still using? If she is, she’s an idiot, but if she’s clean, doesn’t she deserve a second chance? This mess has been going on for ages, and Mindy’s mother has always talked about Mindy’s drug use as the reason she should have custody of Zandar – but not a word of it this round. This to me suggests that it’s a non-issue. It could be that the two women are using Zandar in attempts to continue to hurt each other, as they have for the past 20 years. Sad.
I Googled “treasures of the snow”, and I could not find anything about it other than it is the name of a Christian children’s book. The only articles that mention a cult by that name are about Mindy McCready and her claims. To say her mother is in a cult implies she is part of a group with others and a prophet. I would think such a group would have info about it out there.
Where is Zander’s father during all of this. What a bunch of losers these adults are.
His father was abusive to McCready and tried to kill her.
I’m on her side. Her issues probably stem from having crazy parents, that usually where it starts. Maybe she’s just trying to break the cycle.
In my personal experience with addicts, which is more than I wished it was, most of them come from decent homes with decent families.
My heart aches for Zander and any other child put into these frightening situations. You would think (hope) that this would be perfect motivation for Mindy to get her sh*t together. Get it right, Mindy. Take Zander legally. Then the best revenge – live a good life; one above question.
So sad. If her mother was abusive to her or that boy I hope she rots. Poor kid.
As someone who was physically and emotionally abused by her mother, I will say that that never goes away. If Mindy was abused by her mother, I have no doubt in my mind that the grandmother is now abusing the child. I choose not to have children because one, I would never want them around my mother and sadly, that would be the only grandparents the child would have, and two, because I live in fear of being abusive myself or neglectful (for my mother was both). I am scarred for life (emotionally) thanks to my own mother and thankfully I am well educated and have alot going for me, but I can see how I so could have ended up like Mindy. And don’t get me started with religious freaks, those people shouldn’t have custody of a dog let alone a child. Overall, I sympathize for Mindy.
The last thing I heard, Zander is still in the custody of the Arkansas Dept of Family Services. Having worked with social services via CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), I suspect they are looking into the allegations of abuse and will keep him safe until such time it is determined he will be safe with family.
Okay, how long has Zander been with his grandmother? In all that time, has no one checked up on Zander? In all that time, hasn’t Mindy been checking up on him? Why is Mindy’s grandmother (Zander’s great-grandmother) saying these things now? How old is this woman? I just wonder because a lot of times there’s elder abuse where someone might threaten an elderly person if they don’t do something. I wouldn’t put it past Mindy if she’s whacked out and desparate. Maybe Mindy’s mother and grandmother aren’t speaking so it’s pitting one against the other for revenge? Anyway, no matter, I just wonder the situation happening now. Something weird is going on and I think it’s more than Mindy being all whacked out. Oh dear me.
I watched the entire interview, and she was coherent, articulate, calm and seemed to be secure that her child was being harmed. There was a gag order on certain details and she kept to the order but was able to tell her side of the story. Long before she had her son when she became famous she spoke in interviews about the abusive home she came from, I believe her and I’m beginning to think many of her problems come from whatever happened as a child. Not that drinking or drugging can or should be excused by childhood trauma. I just got the feeling it was legit and she’s got a handle on her problems now, and if she does she should be given a chance to raise her child. I don’t think religious fanatics who think dead people are roaming around the home should have custody of the boy. Mindy came off very well in the interview and I think she may have a shot at getting back custody of her son. I hope it works out for the kid so he’s not permanently damaged by an abusive childhood like his mom was.
She has borderline personality disorder courtesy of being raised by her crazy witch of a mother. Yes, she’s an addict and is handling this badly, but she has a serious mental illness and is trying to keep her son from the same life she had. I can assure you being raised by a borderline and being borderline yourself from the abuse is one hellish life.
This 20/20 video is packed with lies. To know the real truth, check out my blog. I would know. The girl is my sister.