irresponsible parent

Desmond Hatchett fathers 21 kids to 11 women | World News | News.com.au

Desmond Hatchett fathers 21 kids to 11 women

By staff writers

NEWS.com.au

May 30, 2009 12:01am


Desmond Hatchett
Record-breaker ... Desmond Hatchett says he knows the names and ages of all his offspring / AP

* Desmond Hatchett fathers 21 children
* Kids are to 11 different women
* In court for non-payment of child support

A MAN who has fathered 21 children with 11 different women yesterday claimed that he was "done" having children.

Desmond Hatchett's extraordinary brood came to light after authorities in Tennessee took the 29-year-old to court for non-payment of child support.

Mr Hatchett has apparently set a US record but denied he had set out to claim a place in history.

"It just happened," he said.

Mr Hatchett said he would not have any more children.

"I'm done. I'll say I'm done," he said, shaking his head.

Mr Hatchett told reporters outside court that he knew the names and ages of all his offspring.

The ages ranged from newborn to 11 years old.

Authorities said they planned to take half of his monthly salary to pay for the youngsters. But with Mr Hatchett earning just the minimum wage, officials said that worked out to slightly more than $2 a week for each.
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Your Say

Make him pay for as long as it takes. Even when the children are past the age of 18, he will still owe the tax payer a lot of money.

(Read More)
Richard Smart of Britain

"The children can't all be supported by Desmond so the state of Tennessee has had to step in," his lawyer Keith Pope said.

But many Knoxville residents are angry the state has paid, with some extremists even calling for Mr Hatchett to be castrated.

Mr Hatchett's name appeared on court documents 11 times representing 15 of his 21 children.

Authorities were now braced for more women coming forward to claim he was the father of their children after he appeared on local TV. Mr Hatchett even boasted of fathering four children by different women in the same year.

He said the women he was involved with all knew that he had other children.

One mother, who had two children with Mr Hatchett, said she should get $90 a month but rarely received any child support.

"It's frustrating, but usually when I ask he gives it to me," she said yesterday.

Authorities in Knoxville ordered Mr Hatchett to court to explain how he intended to pay child support. He arrived for the hearing with about $600 in his pocket.