SAVE Braelon’s Family Facebook page

UPDATE 7/2/2016

More Charges against Man Arrested for Rape

The man arrested and charged for rape in the case of the 14-year old mother is currently in the Shelby County jail after being arrested on June 29, 2016, on two additional counts of 2nd degree rape. This follows a second arrest on June 25. Bail on each new charge continues the pattern of being set at $30,000 each. Source: http://inmatelisting.shelbyal.com/

Mug shots source: http://inmatelisting.shelbyal.com/

AL.com is reporting that the man has now been accused of rape by 4 different girls.

Accused Man Arrested in Alabama Rape Mother Story – Allowed to Enter Hospital Room to See Baby Before His Arrest

by Terri LaPoint

Health Impact News

The case of the 14 year old rape victim and her baby who was seized by Alabama DHR (Department of Human Resources, responsible for Child Protective Services) earlier this week has been continued by the judge to next week, and the accused rapist has been arrested.

See original story:

Alabama Child Protective Services Steals New-born Breast-feeding Baby from Rape Victim While Still at the Hospital

Yesterday, Juda Meyers and I appeared on the National Safe Child Show to update the story:

Since Health Impact News originally published this story based on eyewitness accounts and video from Choices4Life founder Juda Myers, the story has gone viral with over 1 million views in 24 hours. Rumors and speculation abound, and numerous comments are being made by those claiming to know inside information.

Health Impact News strives for complete accuracy in our reporting, and the delay in updating the information has arisen from our determination to verify information before it is published.

Case Before Judge Continued

After the 14 year old “hero mom” and her twin brother were seized Thursday night by DHR, DHR made the decision that neither they nor the baby would be present at the Shelter Hearings scheduled yesterday (Friday June 17th). The case was continued to next week reportedly so that the young mother could be in attendance. The family has now obtained legal counsel, and supporters are donating money to help pay for the cost of hiring the attorneys who have been highly recommended.

The hearing  began at 9 am. Juda Myers and I were in the hallway at the courthouse with the grandparents and other family members and supporters. We learned that Alabama juvenile hearings are typically closed to the press and to all who are not parties to the case, and this was no exception. Attorneys and case workers were observed going in and out of the courtroom, but the grandparents were not called in until late in the proceedings.

Confidentiality Law Similar to Gag Order

When the Princes came out, they informed us that they were told that they were bound by confidentiality laws in the state of Alabama not to speak about the case to media. Health Impact News has learned that the confidentiality laws apply in juvenile cases in the state, and neither the Princes nor any of the attorneys, case workers, GALs, or the judge are permitted by law to speak about the case, with possible penalties of jail time if they do not comply. Therefore, any rumors of inside information from attorneys should be viewed with suspicion, as their license to practice law is on the line if they were to give such information.

Technically, these confidentiality laws are not “gag orders,” though they do have the same effect. The original intent of the laws were to protect the children involved, but as Health Impact News has said in the past, they sometimes serve to shroud corruption in a veil of secrecy. This does not appear to be the case in this particular instance at this time.

“DHR Pickup Order”

Up until the point where the Princes went into the courtroom, they still had not been told the basis of the children’s removal (the 14 year old mother and her twin brother), other than the nebulous, unspecified “safety concerns” that we had all been told.

There was still no court order, and no warrant; there was only the statement by DHR supervisor Ahzshaka Evans and Alabaster police officer Edmunson that there was a “DHR pickup order,” which was never shown or given to the family.

We question how a pickup order by the agency meets the criteria that is set up in the 4th Amendment of the Constitution:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

It is my observation that the family was never given any paperwork during this entire incident over the past few days, until they were given papers after the conclusion of the hearing yesterday just before noon.

The other Shelter Hearing that was scheduled for 1 pm was rolled into the 9 am hearing.

Mother Is Reportedly Safe and With Her Baby

The hero mother was reunited with her baby Thursday evening, after about a 24-hour separation, during which time the infant was given formula and his mother pumped her milk.

This kind of separation often causes havoc with a breastfeeding relationship and can cause emotional trauma to both mother and baby. Babies can become nipple-confused, and some babies never figure out again how to breastfeed. Bottle feeding becomes easier to the baby.

However, Health Impact News has learned that the baby is again nursing well, after a long and difficult night. This does not surprise this writer, who has observed the determination and confidence of this mother to breastfeed her baby.

It has been reported that the 14 year old mother has complained that she is in a nasty, mold and bug filled environment in her new foster care setting.

Juda Myers and I had the opportunity to visit and tour the family home from where the mother and her twin brother were taken, and we found it to be a beautiful, homey, clean home. It felt like “grandma’s house” – warm and inviting, and filled with family photos and trinkets that represent a lifetime of memories. No group home could possibly compare to what the mother left behind.

The young mother’s twin brother is reportedly residing in a different foster home, even though DHR had assured the family that the twins would not be separated.

Alleged Rapist Arrested

Health Impact News has confirmed that the alleged rapist was picked up and arrested on Friday, June 17. Nineteen year old Samuel Woods III was charged with 2nd degree rape. His bond was set at $30,000, and has been posted as of Saturday.

Record accessed 6/18/2016

The accused rapist came to Shelby Baptist Medical Center on Tuesday, under the direction of DHR and the police in order for investigators to obtain a DNA swab. No explanation has been given why DHR and the police had him go to the hospital where his alleged victim had just given birth, rather than to the police station.

Both the accused and his mother went to the hospital on the day prior, demanding to witness the birth, but the victim and her grandparents refused him access. However, they returned the next day to meet the police, and came up and entered the room where the mother was recovering from birth. It is unclear how hospital security allowed this.

The policy is for the family to have no more than 5 visitors in the room at any time. Each maternity patient has 5 yellow security badges issued for her room, and visitors are required to obtain one and be buzzed into the locked maternity floor. The posted policy states that visitors are to sign in, but Juda Myers and I noted that we were never asked to do so.

There were already 5 passes issued to us and to family and a family friend, when the accused rapist walked into the hospital room with his mother, accompanied by a cousin of the family. The brief encounter was surreal and the tension in the room was palpable.

Samuel Woods III waltzed in and picked up the baby, while everyone else looked on in confusion and shock. The young mother’s eyes grew wide as she backed into the corner as far as she physically could go. She was clearly very uncomfortable and seemed to disconnect.

Juda Myers confronted him boldly after he and his mother acted like this was perfectly normal for them to come in and pick up the baby. After a very strained couple of minutes, he and his mother left.

The next day, a social worker informed us that he was under investigation for at least 2 other rapes of underage girls. We also confirmed that the accused rapist had previously texted the young mother and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the rape. Juda says that this is a common tactic of rapists, accounting for many rapes not being reported at all, or in other cases, for the rape not being reported unless a pregnancy arises.

Mug shot of accused Samuel Woods III. Source: inmatelisting.shelbyal.com

Rumors of Sex Abuser in the Home Unfounded

Despite rumors and speculation to the contrary, Health Impact News has confirmed that there is not a convicted sex offender living in the home, nor has there ever been. The rumors are patently false. If there had been, DHR would not have allowed the 14 year old twins to live in the home for all the years they have been there.

Threats to Social Workers

It has come to our attention that there may have been threats made against some of the social workers involved in this case. Health Impact News does NOT condone this kind of action. We strongly disagree with such actions.

Supporters Rally at Court House

After the hearing on Friday, a group of about 45 people gathered in front of the Shelby County Courthouse in Columbiana, Alabama, for a rally on behalf of baby Braelon and his mother and family. Juda Myers and I addressed the crowd, and prayer warrior Terry Foote led the group in prayer for the families of our nation who are being victimized by corruption in the Child Protective System.

After the rally, person after person after person came up to Juda and me to thank us, saying, “This happened to me, too.” “They took my children unjustly, too, with no evidence.” People are not happy that their families are being ripped apart, and their Constitutional and parental rights are being violated by an agency with little regard for the law or for what is right.