Phoenix Mother Who Lost Son to CPS in Medical Dispute Appears on Local TV

One of the stories we broke recently was the story of Tonya Brown, and her adopted son who has leukemia. She lost custody due to a disagreement regarding cancer treatment. Because she has decided to speak out in spite of allegedly being warned by the judge in her case not to, Fields Moselely of Phoneix 3TV was able to interview her, and has also now covered this story in the local media in Phoenix. You can watch the interview here. Fields also interviewed Charles Flanagan, who oversees the new department created earlier this year (2014) by Governor Jan Brewer to replace CPS in Arizona. He basically admits that a parent only has a "right to choose" when that choice does not conflict with a medical authority. Yet, as we have reported frequently on Health Impact News, the medical system is the biggest defrauder of the U.S. Government, and the largest criminal cases in U.S. history have been settlements over criminal charges against pharmaceutical companies. The medical system also causes more deaths per year than any single disease through hospital errors and side effects of prescription drugs. Should they have unquestioned authority to overrule a parent on medical decisions?

Breastfed, Homebirthed Babies Taken Away From Parents For Not Using Hospital

All three of their babies have been taken away from them and placed in the care of strangers. Levi was 10 months old when his mother, local singer and songwriter Erica May Rengo, gave birth to his twin brother and sister, at their home in Bellingham, Washington. "Our birth was glorious," she said, and the twins were reportedly healthy, full-term babies, who had no problem quickly figuring out how to breastfeed. The little family was overjoyed, until CPS stepped in to "help." It is another medical kidnapping according to the parents. The Rengos have chosen a wholesome, holistic lifestyle, based in their Christian faith, but CPS has allegedly stepped in to override the parents' decisions. Now Erica and Cleave are living what they call a nightmare, separated from their children for reasons that don't make any sense at all to them.

17 Month Old Baby Taken from Family for Disagreeing with Doctors

Jessica Gilmore says, "I just want to love my grandson. That's all I want." However, if Connecticut DCF (their child protective services) has their way, little 17-month-old Jaxon Gilmore, who may not have much longer to live, will be adopted out to strangers, all because a grandmother allegedly questioned authority, seeking the best possible care for her sick grandchild. Here is the family's story as reported to Health Impact News.

CPS Caseworker in Arizona Turns Whistleblower – Reports on Abuse of Power

ABC 15 Arizona interviewed a former CPS caseworker turned whistleblower regarding some of the alleged abuses in the Arizona foster care system. The caseworker reportedly quit her job after seeing the abuse of power within CPS last year. Keeping her identity hidden, the former caseworker claims that many of her colleagues forged reports and were not truly investigating the welfare of children taken into state custody. She claims there was one instance in which a child died while in state custody, and the caseworker knew nothing about it. ABC 15 did an excellent investigative report showing court documents in which judges admitted that children were removed from their parents' home simply because the caseworker "got ticked off" at the parents. The Arizona CPS whistleblower states in the interview that these are not isolated cases, but happen frequently.

Why is the Arizona “Family Advocate” Threatening People Asking About Children in State Custody?

Maria Hoffman carries the title "Director of the Arizona Legislative Office of Family Advocacy." Her job description is stated to be: "Under contract to the President of the Arizona Senate and the Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, and working for all ninety members of the legislature, Ms. Hoffman is the only person at the legislature who handles CPS constituent issues directly and with the Attorney General’s Office." So any parent who has a question about why CPS took away their child cannot even ask their elected representatives in the Arizona State Legislature anything about their child, as all such inquires are handled only by Maria Hoffman, who is an employee and not an elected official. When people ask questions about her role or about their children in state custody, she replies by threatening them with jail time or fines, including state legislators according to one source. This is a "Family Advocate"? How can one woman have so much power to keep families apart as a paid employee of the government and not an elected official? Who is she really protecting? Health Impact News has discovered some shocking information about Maria Hoffman.

2-year-old Taken From Loving Parents Killed by Foster Mother

A tragic story was back in the news this week in Texas. The foster parent of Alex Hill was sentenced to life in prison for the death of the young child who was taken away from her parents' home. Alex Hill was reported to have been taken away from her biological parents because her father admitted to using marijuana at night after the child was in bed. With no evidence of abuse, CPS took custody of the child and placed her into a foster home with Sherill Small. Sherill Small reportedly admitted to police that she had slammed the child onto the floor, saying it was an accident. It was also discovered that Sherill Small’s husband, who lived in the home while the child was there, was himself a recovering crack cocaine addict and admitted to multiple drug charges. So here we appear to have another case where social services removed a child from a loving home with no sign of abuse, and then put the child into an abusive foster home, with the child tragically being murdered.

Mom of 2 Year Old Special-Needs Child Asked for Help: Arizona CPS Took Him Away Instead

Lisa Meltzer is an Arizona mom of a special needs little boy. She and her family received special training to care for this precious little baby. But one day Lisa was so sick, she felt she needed more help than her family could supply for her son for a short time, while she recovered from her sickness. She called the Arizona State social services to request help. But according to Lisa, instead of helping, they removed the child from her custody and are now offering him up for adoption to foster parents. Even though she has not been charged with abuse, the state apparently believes they can remove the child simply based on his complicated medical needs. Her parental rights have allegedly been violated, as she has not been able to visit her 2 year old son for 4 months, and the Arizona Attorney General and Family Court Judge allegedly removed her from court when she tried to speak up for her parental rights. What is going on in Arizona?

Parents Falsely Accused by CPS Fight to Get Reputation Back – Pay Forced Hospital Bills

The parents did nothing wrong, yet their lives were turned upside down. They were falsely accused of abuse when they took their baby girl to the doctor for an accidental injury. Later, they were compared to "dolphins caught in a net." A child abuse doctor at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital (HDVCH) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, actually thanked them for "taking a hard hit for the greater good" of catching abused and neglected children. They were innocent.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital Seizes 8 Year Old Boy Because Mother Seeks Second Opinion

Tonya Brown is “just a mom who is in love with her kid,” adorable 8-year-old Christopher Reign. Because Tonya questioned a very risky, painful procedure for her son, Tonya reports that his doctor at Phoenix Children’s Hospital enlisted Child Protective Services to take him away from her custody. If the doctor has her way, Tonya could lose her beloved child forever in the upcoming hearings to permanently sever her parental rights later this month – all because a mother wanted to try less invasive options for her son before going to a treatment that carries sizable risks.

Foster Kids Speak Out: Sue Agency over Abuse in “Kids for Cash” Scandal

Kim Baldonado of NBC news in Los Angeles reported this week that several foster care kids have come out into the open to testify about abuses allegedly committed in California's foster care program. In a press conference, former foster care children who are now young adults testified to horrendous abuses including: being tortured by "specially-made tools," and being "abused verbally, physically and sexually."

California’s Crisis: 1 Out of Every 4 Children in California’s Foster Care Prescribed Powerful Psychiatric Drugs

We have previously documented how one incentive for hospitals and social workers to medically kidnap children is because they can bill all drugs and medical care to medicaid, with virtually no accountability for children who are wards of the state and in the foster care system. Carlos Morales, a former CPS investigator now turned whistle-blower, states that foster kids are 3 times more likely to be put on psychotropic drugs than children left with their parents. Now, a new report from the Bay Area News organization shows that 1 out of every 4 adolescents in California foster care system is being drugged, 3 times the rate for adolescents nationwide.

17 Year Old Boy Breaks Silence on Medical Kidnapping: Reports Hospital Drugged Him at Time of Custody Dispute

Denied a voice and presence in current court proceedings regarding a custody battle between his mother and Illinois CPS and Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, 17 year old Isaiah Rider has decided not to remain silent any longer, and recently told his story in an exclusive interview with Health Impact News reporter Terri LaPoint.

KAMC ABC in Lubbock Texas Reports on Baby Kathryn Medical Kidnap

Reporter Anna Wiernicki of KAMC in Lubbock Texas interviewed the mother of 4 month old baby Kathyrn who was taken away from her parents when they wanted to seek a second opinion regarding her medical care. We applaud Anna Wiernicki and KAMC ABC for giving the parents a voice in speaking out against medical child kidnapping. Show your support by visiting their website.

CBS 7 in Texas Covers Medical Kidnap of Baby Kathryn

In a story of medical kidnap in Texas first reported by Health Impact News, CBS 7 in west Texas interviewed the mother of the 4 month old baby that a local hospital seized after the mother raised concerns about the care she was receiving. We applaud Lauren Lanmon and CBS 7 for giving the parents a voice in speaking out against medical child kidnapping. Show your support by visiting their website and reading their report. They need to know that these are the kinds of stories the media should be publishing to stand up for the rights of parents who are having their children seized by doctors and CPS simply for wanting to seek a second opinion on the care of their child. Seeing a lot of traffic to the story will help them know this is an important issue to be addressed.

Fight Rages for Teenager Isaiah Rider’s Freedom – His Mother Commits “Cardinal Sin” Of Questioning Doctors

It's the nightmare that they just can't wake up from. 17-year-old Isaiah Rider is still in foster care and cannot go home to his mom, all because his mother committed what has been called the "cardinal sin" - she dared challenge the doctors when her son was in pain and not getting better. For that crime, Michelle Rider and her son are being punished by CPS and the hospital that couldn't find an answer for him. Michelle trusted the doctors to help her son, who has neurofibromatosis, a rare condition which causes painful tumors on the nerves. However, when Isaiah was still suffering severe pain for weeks after the surgery that was supposed to fix things, she did what any good mother would do - she questioned them, and fought for her child. The term "Mama Bear" comes to mind - it's what moms do. However, some of the doctors at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago reportedly bristled at the audacity of one who would dare challenge their authority, and they pushed back.

Eight year old Jaxon Taken By Hospital When Parents Ask For Second Opinion

A Missouri doctor recently told a little boy that, if she had it her way, he would never see his mommy and daddy again. This was after 8 year old Jaxon was seized from his parents' custody based solely on a statement from this single doctor. His parents, Tiffany and Jason Adams, are desperately trying to bring him home after what appears to be his doctor's retaliation because they "dared to seek a second opinion." The Adams insisted that they had a right to seek another opinion. The doctor in charge of the care of their son replied: “I want you to know big hospitals take kids away from families for this stuff.”

4 Month Old Texas Baby Seized from Parents in Medical Dispute

The Texas mother of a four-month old baby girl writes, "I just want her back home in my arms and love and kiss on her! To hold her and never let go!" But it has been a month now since little Kathryn Blalock was literally taken out of her mother's arms by CPS and the UMC Children's Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, in what appears to be another medical kidnapping. Lorie, the mother of Kathryn, feels as though she is living a nightmare, amidst contradictory information and diagnoses from the doctors. Despite doing everything she could to follow all of the doctors' instructions, her baby was abruptly removed from her custody and is now in medical foster care away from the family who loves her.

A History of Medical Kidnapping at Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Earlier this month we reported the sad story of the Diegel family, who had their two daughters seized by Phoenix Children's Hospital for disagreeing with the doctors over their treatment. We have previously reported many similar stories of hospitals using Child Protection Services (CPS) to remove children from loving parents simply for disagreeing with doctors, such as Justina Pelletier at Boston Children's Hosptial, and Isaiah Rider at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. Since publishing the Diegel family story, Health Impact News has been approached by many families with similar experiences with CPS in Phoenix, and with Phoenix Children's Hospital. These parents are terrified of coming forward and telling their story. What we have learned in our investigation is truly troubling, and needs to be exposed by the media.

Michigan Only State with Pharmaceutical “Immunity Law” Determined to Prosecute Mother for Refusing to Drug Daughter

Michigan, the only U.S. state that has a pharmaceutical “immunity law” seems determined to prosecute Maryanne Godboldo for refusing to administer a dangerous antipsychotic drug to her daughter. When will the deliberate persecution of Detroit mother, Maryanne Godboldo, come to an end? Despite four court rulings exonerating Godboldo of any wrongdoing, the state prosecutor is, inexplicably, committed to what can only be described as a relentless attack. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), the nation’s leading mental health watchdog, has launched an in-depth investigation into Michigan’s mental health policies to get to the bottom of the state’s seemingly endless prosecution of Godboldo.

Life of 10 Year Old Girl in Medical Kidnapping Case May be in Danger!

Health Impact News has just learned that one of the Diegel girls who were seized by Phoenix Children's Hospital may be in critical condition due to a recent asthma attack. Hannah Diegel has chronic asthma, and is required to carry both a rescue inhaler and an epipen. However, now that she has been taken into State custody and separated from her mother by being put into foster care, there is evidence that this medical advice is NOT being followed. We received information today that Melissa Diegel received a phone call last night from her insurance company, informing her that Hannah's asthma condition was not under control. The fear is that Hannah is now either in ICU or a hospital suffering from a potential life-threatening asthma attack. And she is completely separated from her family by court order, simply because her mother disagreed with the medical treatment she was receiving, and wanted to switch doctors.