(La Porte, IN) - There’s an effort to block a convicted sex offender from ever marrying a 22-year old handicapped woman after their plans to exchange wedding vows suddenly were stopped.
The steps were taken by LaPorte County Clerk Heather Stevens, who filed a motion in LaPorte Circuit Court. A hearing on her request was held Monday before Judge Julianne Havens, who took the matter under advisement.
“It is in the hands of the court. I’m confident they are going to do the right thing,” she said.
Her request was in response to the woman and 66-year old Bradley Armstrong having their wedding plans at the courthouse in La Porte interrupted on March 17 just moments before the ceremony was supposed to begin. Armstrong was arrested and charged with Level 6 felony providing false information on his marriage license application.
He was released from the La Porte County Jail the next day on $750 cash bond, according to court records in the case.
Armstrong was accused of failing to report himself as a sexual violent predator as required on the marriage license application for a 2002 child molesting conviction. Stevens, who has been the county clerk since 2021, said she doesn’t normally get involved in any cases but did so this time out of concern for the woman, who is 10 weeks pregnant with Armstrong’s child. Armstrong is categorized as a lifetime sex offender, who is ordered not to be with anyone under the age of 18.
“There were a lot of red flags in this one,” she said.
In her court filings, Stevens cited her authority under state law to seek action from the court as “superior guardian” over the woman as an officer of the court. The woman’s parents have been her legal guardians since the court ruled her “incompetent” from in a case filed in 2021.
The ruling was based on her medical history that includes Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, functional movement disorder, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, delayed speech and depression. Stevens said the “ultimate guardian” over any protected person under state law is the court.
In this case, Stevens said her parents as legal guardians are agents acting under the court’s supervision and subject to the court’s overriding authority. Stevens said how the parents feel about her daughter marrying Armstrong is not known but the court may at any time review, modify or override any decision from a guardian considered not in the best interest of the protected person.
Another legal guardian for the woman could also be appointed by the court.
For now, Stevens said her office will not issue them a marriage license under a state law that prohibits a clerk from doing so to any person legally judged as incompetent. Havens decided to have a hearing in May to address concerns related to guardianship.
Stevens said all she wants is for the parents or whoever is the legal guardian to look out for the best interests of the woman.
