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Michigan Teen Girl in CPS Custody Near Death – Twin Sister Pleads for Her Life

A Michigan teenager was close to death in CPS custody in December, but advocates worked together to fight for her life. Abbie Odonnell, now 15, is much better, but now her twin sister Alexis, who remains in a juvenile detention facility, has deteriorated to the point where her family fears for her life. Her mother says: "She won't survive another 7 months." Before Child Protective Services and the state of Michigan became involved in their lives, the girls showed no signs of any eating disorders. After being taken from their home and family, Abbie has developed anorexia and bulimia, and Alexis has bulimia. It took social media and an article from Health Impact News on their Medical Kidnap website to get help for Abbie, whose condition had become very serious in December, and she is now on the road to recovery. Now it is her twin sister Alexis who desperately needs help. Her family was alarmed when they saw the condition Alexis was in at court last week, with her hands and feet shackled, and the family has again reached out to Health Impact News and their readers for help.

Wife of Hunger Strike Dad Arrested in Kansas While Protesting to Have Kidnapped Children Returned

Just before 11:30 am on Saturday morning, police arrested Amelia Schwab, wife of Raymond Schwab, who is the Navy veteran dad who went on a 17 day hunger strike at the Kansas state capitol in an effort to get their children free from child protective services custody. The strike ended only as a federal lawsuit was filed against Kansas DCF (Department for Children and Families). Raymond and Amelia and some of their supporters have been spending time at a local cafe which has wi-fi access. Amelia had just left from there when police pulled her over to arrest her. Raymond speculates that they may have been trying to see if there was any marijuana in the car. (There wasn't.) Health Impact News called the police department, which confirmed that Amelia Schwab has been arrested on a bench warrant for a battery charge, dated May 11, 2015. Her bond is $674. Interestingly, the police appear to have learned about the bench warrant from an anonymous tip, according to Raymond Schwab. When we spoke with Raymond, he said that this was around the same time as the bogus charges that he was arrested for recently. No charges were ever actually filed against him, and he was released on his own recognizance after spending a brutal night in jail on March 24. He sees the arrest of his wife as further harassment and intimidation, and the trumping up of bogus charges.

Children Kidnapped by State of Arizona Finally Returned to Parents After 600 Days

There were happy children's voices in the background as Tabitha Shoars spoke on the phone Wednesday, April 6, with Health Impact News to share their great news. After 600 days of fighting for their children against Arizona CPS, their case has been DISMISSED! Tabitha and Jeff and their children are overjoyed to be back together again after their horrific ordeal. Tabitha says that the faces of the children lit up when they came home last week. The children, who range in age from almost 4 to almost 11, tackled their parents in their excitement to be reunited. Health Impact News was the first to publish their side of their story. Their lives fell apart on August 14, 2014. Three year old Khloe fell outside while she was playing, and later that night collapsed. Her parents had left the children in the care of a babysitter while they went out for a date night. They rushed home when they were told that the babysitter had called 911. While their sister was taken to the hospital, the rest of the children were taken by Child Protective Services and divided up into separate foster homes. Khloe passed away the next day. Even though no one was ever charged with a crime, the children were not returned to their parents.

Kansas Dad Ends Hunger Strike – Federal Lawsuit Filed To Return His Children

The hunger strike is over for Navy veteran dad Raymond Schwab, and a federal lawsuit has been filed against Kansas DCF for their role in kidnapping his children and holding them in state custody long past the time when the allegations against the parents were found to be unsubstantiated. But the battle is far from over. His children are not yet home, and thousands of children in Kansas and around the United States remain separated from their families without any evidence that the allegations are even legitimate. He fights for these children and others who are in the foster care system simply because a parent has used medical marijuana.

Veteran Dad on Hunger Strike Arrested with No Charges – Kept Naked in Dirty Cell

A Navy veteran father was arrested on Day 11 of a Hunger Strike at the Kansas Capitol building on Thursday, March 24th, on a warrant for charges that no one seems to know anything about. Raymond Schwab and his supporters believe that his arrest is about "retaliation" and "intimidation" because he has been publicly fighting to get his children back since they were legally kidnapped by Child Protective Services and abused while in state custody. After spending a night in jail that he says "was like being in hell," Raymond was released Friday afternoon, with no charges filed against him. The treatment that he describes after being arrested is shocking. He reported that he was stripped naked and forced to remain in that condition in a filthy, cold room for the duration of his stay. There was "urine everywhere" and blood on the mattress. There was a hole in the floor where prisoners are expected to urinate.

Falsely Accused Washington Couple Loses Medically Kidnapped Baby for Two Years

When Allison and Jesus Valenzuela took their 5 month old son to the emergency room with a seizure, they had no idea that their lives were about to be turned upside down. They were accused of shaken baby syndrome, and their son was seized from them by Child Protective Services on April 2, 2013. To this day, they don't know what was wrong with Alessandro that day, or what is causing symptoms that he shows even now. There were early signs of problems that doctors dismissed. After they were accused of child abuse, the Valenzuelas found, like many other parents, that doctors stopped looking for the medical basis for their child's symptoms. The parents are still looking for answers. After more than 2 years, Alessandro was returned to his parents who were cleared of all charges of child abuse. CPS is now completely out of their lives as of last month. Allison describes what they went through as "a living hell." She sent her heart-breaking story to Health Impact News, and we are publishing it in its entirety. She wants their voices to be heard.

Navy Dad Goes on Hunger Strike in Kansas Until State-Kidnapped Children are Returned or He Starves to Death

A U.S. Navy veteran is currently on a hunger strike in hopes of getting his children back from what he calls a very corrupt child protective system in Kansas. He is prepared to continue his hunger strike until he and his wife's children are returned, or until he starves to death. Raymond Schwab and his wife Amelia say that their children never should have been taken away from them almost a year ago, but what prompted the hunger strike was the fact that the Department for Children and Families (DCF) said they planned to place their 13 year old son in a psychiatric residential treatment center. They started him on psychotropic drugs 2 weeks ago, against his parents' will. Raymond Schwab began his strike on Monday, March 14, two days before DCF was to institutionalize their son. He doesn't belong there, the parents insist, and he certainly doesn't need dangerous psychotropic drugs. But he was placed into the facility on Wednesday, against his parents' wishes, and is expected to be there for up to 60 days. Three of their children have reportedly been abused while in DCF custody. DCF has reported to the family that their 5 year old little girl has been sexually assaulted in their care, and the 13 year old and another son have been abused in the DCF placement.

Isaiah Rider Chicago Court Hearing Monday – Supporters Pray They Will Let the 18 Year Old Go Free

There will be a court hearing in Chicago regarding the case of 18 year old Missouri resident. Even though he is now an adult, Cook County DCFS, their child protective system, still retains control of his life. Supporters are calling for Illinois to "Free Isaiah Rider!" They invite the press and supporters to attend the hearing, which takes place on Monday, March 21, 2016, at 1:30 pm, at 1100 S Hamilton, Chicago, Illinois, at the Juvenile Court in the courtroom of Judge Nicholas Geanopoulos. Supporters have been very frustrated with the fact that Isaiah Rider is now an adult, but the Illinois DCFS will not free him to live his life. Isaiah himself has pleaded, to no avail, for the system to let him go. He wants to be able to live his life without their interference.

Medically Kidnapped Children of Washington Parents Still not Returned – CPS Wants them Adopted

Three breastfed, homebirthed babies who were taken away from their parents by Child Protective Services in Washington state more than a year ago are still not home, but their mother reports that she is very hopeful that they will be home soon. The story of Erica May Carey and Cleave Rengo's children being taken by CPS was first reported by Health Impact News in November of 2014. Their heartbreaking story went viral and was read by more than 1.5 million people in less than 48 hours, leading to a national outcry. The governor of Washington reportedly received 6000 phone calls after the story was published. Twins Morna and Daniel and their brother Levi remain in a foster home in Washington, but despite earlier placement in separate homes, the 3 siblings are together in the same foster home. As recently as the last court hearing, a Bellingham social worker is still telling the court that the children should be adopted out. Erica reports that there is a new judge on her family's case. She has been told that the court will not discuss the case further or consider the children coming back home until he gets the In-Home Study report in his hands. When Health Impact News spoke with Erica May this past weekend, she had more hope in her voice than in any previous conversation throughout this whole ordeal. She has people on her team who believe that success is imminent and that her children will be returned home soon. She believes that God has shown her in her prayers that they are coming home soon. The hopes and prayers of many are with her that her children will be returned soon.

Medically Kidnapped South Carolina Boy Raped in Group Home – Attorney Speaks Out on State Abuse

The nightmare facing the Headley family just keeps getting worse. In a horrifying new development, William and Danielle Headley learned Friday that their oldest son, age 11, was raped at the group home where Child Protective Services placed the 4 Headley boys after medically kidnapping them. The family's attorney states: "I have a sick feeling in my stomach every time that I think of this horrific incident. I struggle to find words to console my clients. Dr. Henderson injected herself into a loving family in an effort to make the children 'as safe and healthy as possible.' The term child abuse specialist has taken an entirely different meaning. By allowing Dr. Henderson to abuse these children, the State and its system failed. When will the failure be recognized?"

Family Faces Criminal Prosecution and Loss of Children for not Vaccinating Child who Died

As we have reported frequently here at Health Impact News, State governments in the U.S. and countries around the world are trying to eliminate vaccine exemptions, and make all vaccinations mandatory, by force if necessary. In those situations where legislative efforts fail, could vaccine extremists now have a different strategy by using the courts to prosecute parents who choose to not vaccinate their children, and then later their child comes in contact with an illness from which there is a vaccine in the market to allegedly prevent? If a child is found to have contracted chickenpox, for example, and their parents had chosen not to administer the chickenpox vaccine believing that natural immunity was better than the vaccine, could the threat of being criminally prosecuted for failing to vaccinate become a de facto method of forcing everyone to comply with mandatory vaccines? In this report out of Canada, this exact scenario is being tried in the courts this week, where the tragic death of one family's child is viewed by some as setting a precedent for the extremist pro-vaccine lobby. The Stephan family, leaders in the alternative health field in Canada, face time in prison and the removal of their remaining children for simply refusing to vaccinate their child who later died in a hospital that failed to save him. The authorities want the court to rule his death was preventable by a simple vaccine, something that could never be proven scientifically.

South Carolina Family Destroyed: Forced Vaccines, Sexual Abuse, Bruises Show Harm in State Care

The Headley boys of South Carolina aren't coming home any time soon, according to a recent hearing in family court. While their parents, William and Danielle, continue to fight to get them back, the family says that the boys are suffering in CPS custody. They are currently being held in a group home, and the parenting of their children by the government is quite concerning to the family. The children are reportedly being forced to have vaccines that they have medical exemptions for, are losing weight, are being sexually abused, and are showing up to visits with bruises. The state is also reportedly ignoring evidence that would clear the parents. Danielle Headley still faces criminal charges of child abuse and neglect, but no trial date has been set. Greenville Memorial Hospital and Child Abuse Specialist Nancy Henderson have accused her of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, or medical child abuse, after the Headley's youngest son Jack, now 4, was in and out of the hospital for much of his life. The family received documents last week summarizing the findings of the family court, and there are a number of things that are concerning to the family, things which should be concerning to every family in America with children.

Isaiah Rider is 18 Now, but Illinois Maintains Custody of Medically Kidnapped Missouri Teen

Illinois continues to "terrorize" Missouri resident Isaiah Rider and his family, even after he turned 18 last August. The family had hoped that they would leave them alone, but that has not happened. Their story has not been in the news lately, but their medical kidnapping story is anything but over. Isaiah's mother, Michelle Rider, thought that things would settle down after an appellate court said that Illinois DCFS should not be involved after Isaiah's 18th birthday. They thought their nightmare with the Child Protective System was finally over. However, they have learned that the Cook County Juvenile Court, with the same judge and same players, continues to hold hearings about Isaiah. Usually he and his mother are not informed or invited to these hearings, some of which are off the record, even though it is their lives that are being decided by this entity. Michelle has learned that the state of Illinois continues to receive federal Title IV-E money for her son. Could this be the reason why Illinois won't let go of their case?

Healthy 17 Year Old Dies Shortly After South Dakota Takes Custody Away from Mother

A 17 year old boy is dead, and his mother wants answers. The answers that Dawn Van Ballegooyen has been given by the state of South Dakota don't make sense to her, and her mother's intuition tells her that somebody is covering up what really happened to her son, Brady Alan Folkens, while he was in state custody. Most of the stories that we cover at Medical Kidnap have to do with children who were taken by the state via Child Protective Services, but there are other avenues for the state to acquire custody of minors, especially teenagers. As this heartbreaking story shows, the results can be just as devastating, no matter which government agency decides that it can do a better job of raising a child than the parents. Just as with CPS cases, Dawn was not given a choice in her son being taken from her. After failing a drug urine test at school, and being accused of belonging to a gang simply because he wore his hat backwards at school, a healthy 17 year old Brady Folkens was sent away to an "Academy Boot Camp" far away from his home where he could only talk to his mother 10 minutes a week on the phone. Two months later, as his mother made a Christmas trip to visit him, she found him dead in the hospital.

South Carolina Family has Children Medically Kidnapped Based on Wrong Diagnosis from Child Abuse Specialist

When Tai Simmons-Roper and her husband Shawn took their 4 week old baby Braxton to Greenville Memorial Hospital in South Carolina for excessive spitting up, the last thing they expected was that doctors would find multiple unexplained fractures, and that they would be thrown into jail and have their beloved new baby taken away from them by Child Protective Services. They were facing the possibility of spending the next 35 years in prison. They had no way of knowing that their son had serious metabolic bone disease, nor did the Child Abuse Specialist who reported them test Braxton to rule out such conditions before reporting them for child abuse. After later medical reports were sent to the DA confirming that Braxton actually has infantile rickets and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, all criminal charges were dropped. However, DSS (Department of Social Services) is still refusing to give custody back to his parents. Braxton's older brother was also taken away, and DSS will not let him go home either.

Arizona Mom Loses Battle to Regain Daughters Medically Kidnapped – Pleads for Someone to Adopt Them

An Arizona court has ruled that the Diegel sisters are now eligible for adoption, and have terminated all of Melissa Diegel's rights to her children. In a recently released video, this mother displays an incredible act of love for the children that CPS will no longer allow her to parent. She pleads for someone good to step up and adopt her children, so that, if they cannot be with their family, they will at least be with good people who will love and care for them. It is a plea that no loving parent should ever be forced to make. Melissa received the shattering news from the courts that Judge Kristin Hoffman has ruled to sever all of her and her ex-husband's parental rights to Kayla and Hannah. It was the day before Christmas Eve. She was devastated, and could not bring herself to make the bitter announcement to her supporters until recently. Health Impact News has covered the Diegel Family story since October of 2014. The Diegel Family story spawned a slew of families contacting Health Impact News with similar stories in Arizona, and around the country, and was the genesis for the birth of MedicalKidnap.com.

Texas Judge Admonishes CPS – Demands Return of Giwa Girls – Boy Remains in CPS Custody However in Partial Victory

In a stunning turn-around, a Houston judge ruled Thursday that the Giwa girls are to be returned home immediately. Advocates and family are rejoicing in the partial victory, and are praying for little Ali to be returned home soon as well. In a permanency hearing on Tuesday, Ahmed and Kathy Giwa were told that the plan had changed to adoption and that CPS planned to work to see the Giwa children adopted out to non-family members. Ali was taken by CPS in April 2015 on allegations that his parents medically neglected him, after doctors failed to determine a reason for him lagging behind his twin sister developmentally. In November, Ali's twin and his older sister were also seized when the family tried to take the children out of the country to visit their dying grandmother in Nigeria. The Giwas have been fighting CPS to get their children back, because they say that their children should never have been taken from them in the first place. Health Impact News has been following their story for many months, and word of the injustice happening to the family has spread quickly. Advocates called for a day of prayer and fasting on Wednesday, in anticipation of the hearing in Harris County on Thursday. To all who were watching, the case looked desperate. Friends and family had little hope that anything good would come out of the hearing, because they report having seen far too many unjust things happen already in the case. Now, those same supporters are rejoicing.

Infant with Brittle Bones Medically Kidnapped in North Carolina as Mother is Arrested

When police arrested North Carolina mother Marty Peele on charges of child abuse last summer, her friends say they knew there had to be another explanation for 4 month old Micah's injuries. They say that the picture that was painted by the media was inconsistent with what they know of Marty, and that she couldn't possibly have done the things that she has been accused of. Petreana Anderson is one of Marty's friends who considers herself "a pretty good judge of character." She told Health Impact News: "I hate that they [the media] painted her as a monster. That woman wouldn't hurt anybody." Local media reported that Marty was accused of breaking 12 of Micah's ribs and 2 shoulder blades, as well as leaving deep bite marks. However, several expert doctors have now issued reports that there are indeed very plausible explanations for Micah's injuries, and they strongly assert that he was not abused. Child Protective Services has ordered her not to have any contact with her baby, or with any other child under age 18, and she is facing a criminal trial for felony child abuse.

Once Thriving Michigan Teenager Now Facing Death in CPS Custody

A Michigan social worker asked the mother of a 14 year old girl if she has life insurance on her daughter, Abbie Odonnell, after the 5' 9" teen went from 145 lbs to 92 lbs under CPS custody. Her twin sister Alexis is being housed in a maximum security juvenile detention facility, and her bunkmate has reportedly murdered 7 people. Their 17 year old sister Alyssa is being held in another lock-down facility. The girls' crime? The twins admitted to smoking pot on one occasion. Later the twins ran away from an abusive foster home. For the heinous crime of escaping that abuse, CPS is forcing the twins to serve a 12 month sentence in Wolverine Secure Treatment Center, and forbidding their older sister, who has done nothing wrong, to go home. Laura Dalton doesn't think that Abbie will survive that long. Apparently, her social worker doesn't either, but is not doing anything to fix the situation. Laura says that it has already been 17 months, and the girls have learned their lesson. They shouldn't have been smoking marijuana. They know that now. But is that infraction worth the state of Michigan endangering the very lives of these once healthy, thriving kids?

Michigan Teen Medically Kidnapped and Placed in Juvenile Detention Facility as Her Health Deteriorates

Last year Leiani McMichael was an honor student, artist, and a varsity swimmer at her high school. She was a good kid with a great life. Now the Michigan teenager's family fears for her life. The 17 year old was seized from her family by Child Protective Services on November 4, 2015, after the University of Michigan Mott's Children's Hospital called CPS and accused her mother of Munchausen by Proxy. The family and supporters believe that Mott's is trying to cover up their poor care of Leiani. Doctors and social workers are blaming the teen for her debilitating illness, but her mother, Rebecca Campos-Santana, insists that there is no way this is all in her head - it's in her digestive system. Currently Leiani is being held in Children's Village, a juvenile detention center. Jennifer Torres is the foster care placement specialist, and she has allegedly told the family that Leiani is at the juvenile detention center because there is currently no "safe place" to send her that can provide medical care. She has allegedly told the teen that she is never coming home, and that she cannot get out of the facility unless she gets out of the wheelchair, because the "good" foster families aren't wheelchair accessible.