Cayden Allen spent the first two years of life living with a family that loved and nourished him.

That family was made up of his grandparents and aunt.

That's a type of family we're seeing more and more of lately. As young parents struggle with drug abuse, violent relationships and other dangerous habits, grandparents are stepping up to the plate to make sure these young ones have a safe and happy home. They are the quiet heroes of this era, giving up their golden years and saving the lives of generations of children that would otherwise be lost.

Last week, little Cayden became one of the lost.

He was the victim of a custody fight between these grandparents and their daughter.

The Kentucky court system apparently did not take into account Cayden’s secure home life and the genuine love of
his grandparents and made a decision to send Cayden to live with his mother in Conyers in a household that had recently faced a domestic violence charge.

That decision cost Cayden his life.

James Sims, 23 the boyfriend of young Cayden's mother, has been charged with murder. Little Cayden was going through potty training, and he had an accident that day in his "big boy pants."

Autopsy reports showed the 2-year-old had bruising on his body and was hit in the head and suffered a brain hemorrhage.

In our opinion Sims should be taken out somewhere and whipped unmercifully for what he did to this helpless child.

The court systems across this country need to start giving more credence to the grandparents who are raising their children’s children and not automatically turn a child over to a parent who might be more concerned about the state and federal freebies than the welfare of their child.