Father and Pastor Hal Stanley with his children. Photo supplied by family.
IT’S OVER, OR IS IT?
by Hal Stanley
On January 13th, 2015, the day after the Garland County Sheriffs incarcerated, kidnapped, took into custody, or took our seven children, I was in unbelief!
What had happened? I knew my wife and I were innocent, and I knew my children were innocent of any crimes against the state, and yet they were disappeared to an unrevealed location. We could not know where they were. We could not speak to them by phone. We did not know when we would see them again. We had been told that it would be a “72 hour hold”, but that would turn out a lie.
The lies had started and they would continue for some time.
I knew that I was a patriotic American who had spent his life defending the founding documents of our country, and really believed I lived in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”
As a vet I had gladly volunteered to serve my nation in the Air Force. I thought I was free, as a baptist pastor, to live in the religious liberty I had learned of all my life.
Further, I had been taught all my life that the sheriff was my best friend. I grew up thinking that only the pastor was greater than the sheriff.
But the haunting memory was so clear of the night before when a deputy sheriff had claimed the right to kidnap my children right in front of me. I knew that my yard was full of some 12 official vehicles including an ambulance, the Coroner’s car, state police, and various health officials.
I didn’t realize, however, that there was a 31 man task force surrounding my house with snipers lying in the ditch.
I did know that there was a nice man from the DHS sitting in my living room saying to me that everything was okay. I could hear him talking to his home office telling them that the kids were fine and all had been examined by the doctor in our yard, and that all were fine.
Then suddenly a large group of armed officers rushed in the door saying they were taking the children for seventy-two hours. We were to get the children two days of clothing and to do it fast.
Homeschooled Stanley children being taken out of their home by force for the first time in their lives.
We were overwhelmed to say the least. The children were crying, Michelle and me were crying. Our hearts were broken.
Our whole lives were invested in those children. How could anyone think they were in danger in our wonderful home? How could this be happening. A few minutes later my wife and I had sat in the living room, all alone and wondering what had happened.
Now on the next day my optimism budded. This was just a big mistake. It would all be over in just a little while. I imagined all the children home and we would have a huge neighborhood party to celebrate the return of the children. That would be wonderful. A Victorious Homecoming for our kids!
But it never happened.
Twenty one months later it is over legally. I got this letter that said:
Subject: STANLEY, C#20152079 & C#20152277, REF#1724091-REMANDED
The Respondent Arkansas State Police does not wish to defend the remaining finding of educational neglect.
Further, it would not object to a final order being issued without a hearing.
Thank you.
I suppose that settles the matter. Twenty one months of turning my family upside down and inside out and scrambling it, and that’s it.
What did they find?
Nothing. All that pain for nothing?
We are innocent! WE ARE INNOCENT!
ARE THEY????
Read Medical Kidnap Articles on the Stanley Family Ordeal.
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