Mother Sentenced for Attacking Sex Offender

by Elise Nersesian (Subscribe to Elise Nersesian's posts) Mar 2nd 2009 5:00PM

Tammy Gibson will be spending three months behind bars for taking a baseball bat to a sex offender for talking to her then-10-year-old daughter last summer.

Is this Puyallup, WA, mom remorseful or scared? "I'd do it again, if not better," she tells ABC News Seattle affiliate KOMO-TV.

Gibson's older daughter, Rachael Porter, came to her mom's defense saying, "She was protecting her kids like she should have been. They locked her up for way too long."

What would you have done?

Parents Who Sacrificed for Their Kids

Mother Beats Sex Offender with a Bat
Tammy Gibson, a Tacoma, WA, mother beat a sex offender with a baseball bat after she saw him chatting with her young daughter. She was sentenced to three months in jail, but says, "I'd do it again." READ MORE

Courtesy KOMO

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Gibson pleaded no contest to assault charges last week against hulking 7-foot-3 William A. Baldwin, a Level-3 sex offender. She could have received as much as eight months in jail.

"I don't care if it hurts me, I don't regret it," says Gibson. "It got him away from my kids and all the other kids in the neighborhood."

Baldwin moved into his uncle's home last June, shortly before county deputies had distributed fliers around the neighborhood to alert residents of his presence.

On June 19, Gibson went to the house in the trailer park looking for Baldwin. When he walked outside, Gibson accused him of molesting her children. She hit him repeatedly and allegedly injured his arm. But here's the twist: Gibson later told police he had not molested her daughter, Renee Maria Perez, saying instead that she recognized Baldwin from the flier as the man who had chatted up Renee last summer.

"For him to be right there, in front of my house and talking to my child -- made me crazy," she says. "I just told him that if it were up to me, I'd kill ya."'

Renee, now 11, was in tears during the sentencing. "He tried to give me fireworks and I wouldn't take it," she says.

Gibson says she hopes the attention created by her case will trigger a change in the laws regarding released sex offenders.

"I would hope that me doing this and going to jail would change something, change some kind of law, change something where people like him can't be standing around little kids?" Gibson says. "It's not right, it's not fair to the kids at all."

Whether this mother should be punished for protecting her child is up for debate. Who wouldn't rage at a sex offender spending time with your young daughter? But Baldwin was accused and attacked (unprovoked) at his home. Living near a sex offender is enough to put any parent on edge, but last checked, vigilantism is still against the law.

Baldwin has since moved from Tacoma to Seattle -- a soon-to-be neighbor to another parent's children.

What do you think -- is Gibson a criminal or righteous mother hen?

Comments (480)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 24)

monser perez 3-12-2009 @ 6:37AM

That lady is a real heroine. She dederves accolades, not jail time.
It is so crazy that the judicial legal system continues to protect
the sub-human scumbags who are all child molesters. If Iwas in the
same position I would have killed the dirty piece of crap...........

Monser Perez
Isabela, Puerto Rico.

mer 3-02-2009 @ 8:06PM

She did the right thing and I would have done the same if not worse. This is another case of our legal system doing the wrong thing.

Missj 3-02-2009 @ 9:06PM

I say way to be a mother. If it were me I would have killed him. She shouldn't have spent 1 day in jail. Some sex offenders don't even get 3 months. The system is f***'d up! They may put that dude away for a year then he's gonna be right back out on the streets doin the same to the next.

Jenny 3-02-2009 @ 9:40PM

These sex offenders are a "broken machine". Caught red handed - death sentence, better yet, a room full of mothers. To steal a child's innocence - you lose all rights. period. Broken. I'd take a bat too - way to go!

nonymos 3-02-2009 @ 8:06PM

Lady I would have gone for his Nads.....And It would have been a dull hacksaw blade that I used.!!! It is about time someone stood up and actually did something instead of pissing and moaning......GREAT JOB MOM!!

Timetostandup 3-02-2009 @ 8:19PM

When are we Americans going to stand up to the crap that is taking over this country.. Americans for American.. where are the good people of this countrys rights going... we need to take care of our chrildren, and us.

teri 3-02-2009 @ 8:32PM

As the aunt of a young girl who was molested, I gotta say it's lucky for him he's not dead. Pity for the rest of us though. I think the mom should get a medal.

jklewis54 3-02-2009 @ 9:24PM

I quess I would be on death row as I would have shot him.

the Last Wife 3-03-2009 @ 4:42PM

You had the "Nads" for all Mothers who pray given the same circumstances would react in the same way. You are to be respected for looking out for your girls not jailed!

Laurie 3-02-2009 @ 9:17PM

Way to go, Mom!! I would have done the same if not worst. These people should not be allowed to live any where near children, preferably never released from prison and if released (castrated). If he even looked at my kids it would be the last time.

T 3-02-2009 @ 9:18PM

I would have gotten life if it would have been my daughter he was talking to. I would have beaten him till he was unrecognizable!! That is what is wrong with this world... WE ALLOW too much to happen then punish the wrong person.
She shouldn't do a bit of time and he should be executed for initiating a conversation with a minor.

heckyeah 3-02-2009 @ 9:20PM

You know, she'll be out of work for a while. If a legit source set up an account at a national bank, establishing a way for like-minded citizens to contribute some reward money, I'd surely make a donation. Maybe Good Morning Amercia or some such tv show will run a story about a legitimate advocacy group taking on her case. We can hope, can't we?

Beth 3-02-2009 @ 9:28PM

how dare a mother be punished for protecting her children!! any person with since would have reconized the situation and should show others that type of behavior is not tolerated and will never be symothized with. there is a line between protecting you children and over sheltering you children, you need to have the right balance. name one parent you know that wouls allow such behavior upon their children. that parent (people) and the people who target children for their own kicks should go to prison and be condemed by society. the system needs to be updated and restructured.

D'Shani 3-02-2009 @ 9:34PM

Since you think she is so great read my comment I have read everyone elses and don't think they cover everything.

Kate 3-02-2009 @ 9:42PM

Here in this beautiful state of Washington we take care of our own. Don't mess with momma bear.

Blaine 3-02-2009 @ 10:54PM

Tell me where I can send a contribution to this fine woman and her family. She was doing what every Mother should have. I am disgusted that she is in jail.

JOANN TRUSSELL 3-02-2009 @ 9:51PM

AWESOME! Finally someone did what everyone says they would do if the situation were to come about. I totally agree with what she did. That is what a parent is suppose to do and that is to PROTECT our children from monsters. Why wasn't this guy sent to jail? I thought that laws were in place to protect children from predators. If someone is a known predator they are suppose to be restricted from being within distance of children. So who is in the wrong here?? The justice system thats who. What a joke!! We rely on the system to protect us and yet they protect the predator by giving him a victims pass. Way to go mom!! We the people are on your side. Maybe that will teach that sicko to stay the HELL away from children!!

ndavis54 3-02-2009 @ 10:17PM

I will pray for your safety in jail. You should be commended for protecting your child, not jailed. What is this world coming to when the predator gets more rights than the victim. Hmmmmmm! Something needs to be changed.

paula 3-02-2009 @ 10:04PM

KUDOS MOMMA GIBSON! I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME DARNED THING! THAT IS TOTAL BS THAT A SICK PERV HAS MORE RIGHTS THAN MS. GIBSON DOES! WHAT WOULD HAVE THE LAW IN IN WA HAVE DONE TO HIM IF HE DID MOLEST THIS WOMAN'S DAUGHTER?! LOCK HIM UP FOR A FEW YEARS SO HE CAN GET OUT AND DO IT AGAIN?! I DON'T BLAME HER ONE BIT! HECK I SAY CONGRATS MOM! I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME DARNED THING IF IT WERE ONE OF MY KIDS OR GRANDBABY.