Mother Of Slain Oklahoma Soldier Drops Fight Over Son's Remains

FREEDOM, Calif. (AP) _ A Santa Cruz County mother of a soldier killed in Iraq is dropping the fight to have her son disinterred and returned to California. <br/><br/>A state appeals court judge in San

Thursday, May 18th 2006, 11:48 am

By: News On 6

FREEDOM, Calif. (AP) _ A Santa Cruz County mother of a soldier killed in Iraq is dropping the fight to have her son disinterred and returned to California.

A state appeals court judge in San Jose Wednesday dismissed Renee Amick's claim seeking to overturn a lower court's ruling granting custody of the remains of her son -- Army Staff Sergeant Jason Hendrix -- to his father.

The judge said Amick did not file the necessary court papers by the Monday deadline.

After the ruling, the attorney representing Amick says she decided weeks ago to discontinue her court battle because it was becoming too emotionally draining and expensive.

The fight over the final resting spot for the 28-year-old soldier began when he was killed in February of last year by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

The US Army initially granted Amick custody of the remains, but reversed its decision and awarded them to the father, who lives in Oklahoma.

Jason Hendrix grew up in Watsonville with his mother, but finished high school while living with his father.