Father arrested in Amber Alert case, mother says he needs help

On the same day that Mitchell Grayson, the father of a 4-year-old girl at the center of an Amber Alert, made his first court appearance, the child’s mother explained why she asked for that alert in the first place.

Durham police issued an Amber Alert for Paisley Grayson on Monday afternoon, alleging her father broke into a home on the 800 block of Angier Avenue in Durham on Saturday and severely beat a child's family member before leaving with her.

Grayson appeared in court Tuesday.

WRAL News spoke to Candace Oldham, Paisley's mom, who claims Grayson has had violent behavior in the past.

"Honestly, I wouldn't say that he's a bad dad, but because he was abusive to me and also other people, how is that safe?" Oldham said. "I think he needs some kind of help."

Grayson faces charges of aggravated assault, breaking and entering and injury to personal property after Monday's Amber Alert. He said he took Paisley because he was worried for her safety.

Oldham said that Grayson hurt her and robbed her as their relationship deteriorated.

"He put me in a concussion back in March," Oldham said. "A week before he took her, he robbed my car and took everything out of my car. My sister's funeral papers, my mom's ashes, all of my bags of towels, stuff like that."

Oldham said Grayson gave her a concussion that left her unable to stay awake for a week, adding she could not even walk straight.

Grayson said he was given access to the apartment building by Paisley's 75-year-old grandmother. He said a cousin of Paisley's mother attempted to get him to leave and put his hands on him. Grayson said he responded and ended up punching that family member, an action he regrets.

"I was at work," Oldham said. "I got a call from my 9-year-old and my grandmother that he was beating my cousin in the head and that there was blood everywhere."

Oldham says she didn't believe Grayson would harm her daughter.

"I mean, I didn't think he would hurt her," Oldham said. "I think he was more trying to get to me, you know. Which was wrong."

Grayson said he decided to surrender to police after seeing that an Amber Alert had been issued.

"I called investigators, and they told me to come turn myself in if I ever wanted a chance to see my kid again," he said.

Grayson was transported to the Durham County jail after investigators interviewed him.

He called WRAL News to tell his side of the story when he was en route to surrender to police and continued to speak with WRAL News from his jail cell.

When asked if he regretted taking Paisley from her home, Grayson said that's not her home.

"Her home is with me. She got taken from me," Grayson said.

Despite the incident, Oldham still believes the child needs to be in an environment with both parents.

"I think a child always needs both of their parents, but I think he needs help and needs to get help before he is a good parent to her," Oldham said.

A courthouse clerk confirmed Oldham sought a domestic violence protective order Monday but said it was currently unavailable for a WRAL reporter to view.

The judge gave Grayson a $25,000 secured bond. His family said there's no way they can afford to bail him out.

His next court appearance will be a probable cause hearing on Oct. 31.