Corruption in Alabama: Abuse of Family Rights Continues – Retaliation Against Media Exposure

Haly Boothe, a young Shelby County, Alabama mother whose 3 day old baby was seized by DHR without a court order, warrant, or evidence of wrongdoing, is still fighting to get her children back. Many who are close to the family have expressed that they are appalled at what they say is injustice in the family court system. Haly recently sent a lengthy letter to Alabama legislators and others describing what she calls "a lifetime of attacks" by DHR. She posed numerous questions challenging many of the actions of DHR personnel, including those of her children's Guardan ad litem, Erin Welborn, which she has described as "unfair." As of the writing of this article, none of her concerns have been addressed. Her parental rights to her other two children were terminated, even though her family maintains that the state has never produced any evidence of wrongdoing by Haly. They believe that she lost her children because she was in the foster care system herself when she had her first two children at age 15 and 16. Her children were kept by DHR when Haly aged out of the system at age 19. She was not permitted to take her children with her. Before her newest baby, Avyonna, was born in May, Haly was told by social workers and attorneys alike that they were not going to take her baby when she was born. However, Baby Avyonna was seized by Shelby County DHR at only 3 days old in May from a Jefferson County hospital. The social worker reportedly told her that it was because DHR already had the other children in their custody. Since the writing of Haly's letter to state legislators and the Alabama Governor, her court-appointed attorney wrote that he felt that he had no choice but to withdraw from her case. Haly is now without legal representation. Her family is concerned that there are no attorneys left in Shelby County with the ethics and courage to stand up for her. They hope to find an attorney in Alabama who is not a part of the network of Shelby County attorneys.

Arkansas Senator Writes to DHS “The Gloves are About to Come Off” as Cover-up in Stanley Case is Discovered

Local mainstream media in Arkansas is reporting that Arkansas Senator Alan Clark has obtained an email from Arkansas Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) regarding the Stanley Family case that was originally withheld from the legislative oversight committee he co-chairs. Clark calls the email the "smoking gun" in the departments attempt to conceal information during the investigation of the removal of the seven Stanley children last year. In the email, a social worker writes: "From reports, the search warrant did not find anything that would constitute the children being severely maltreated. It appears to me that the only thing this family has done is not conform to modern society and how certain government officials feel they should be living." Senator Clark issued a public statement on his Facebook Page where he stated: "The gloves are about to come off and EVERYONE that has stood in the way of getting to the truth and is currently impeding progress on this front can expect to be exposed."

CPS Kidnapped Michigan Twins Return Home – In Worse Shape Than When the State Took Them

In a dramatic turn of events, Michigan twins Abbie and Alexis Odonnell have been returned home to their family. In July, the family court told the teens' family that they were considering sending them to a facility in Boystown, Nebraska, and their family feared for their safety. (See story here.) All contact had been cut off between the twins and their mother Laura Odonnell, and there was a difficult 6 week period when Laura had no word about the twins at all. The situation looked hopeless. But now the girls are home. However, nothing prepared Laura for the condition that her twins were in when they were returned to her.

University of Michigan Law School Awarded $250K to Learn How to Defend Shaken Baby Syndrome Cases

The University of Michigan's Innocence Clinic, part of the University's law school, has just been awarded $250,000 to fight wrongful shaken baby syndrome convictions. The Associated Press is reporting that the grant came from the Department of Justice. NPR Radio in Michigan reports that attorneys with the Innocence Clinic already helped exonerate one person in a shaken baby syndrome case. In 2010, Julie Baumer was retried and found not guilty of abusing her infant nephew. In 2015, the Michigan Supreme Court unanimously overturned a murder conviction in a shaken baby syndrome case. The court found that Leo Ackley's defense attorney did not properly challenge the conviction with evidence that contradicts the science of shaken baby syndrome, and that the prosecutor produced no witness that Ackley was abusive. The Assistant Director of the Michigan Innocence Clinic, Imran Syed, stated: "So these shaken baby syndrome cases really appear to be in that category of shifting science, where juries at trial were told things that seemed uncontroversial. But really there’s a lot of controversy involved. And really the most important thing, at least from our perspective as lawyers, isn’t who’s right or wrong. It’s did both sides get aired out in trial? Because our [state] supreme court ruled last year that in an SBS case, both sides have the right to present their side of the debate, and let the jury decide who they believe is more credible: was it an accident, or was it intentional abuse? And in the vast majority of these cases that we look at, there are no defense experts. The jury only hears one side of the case."

Arkansas Father and Pastor Speaks Out on CPS Kidnapping His Children as All Charges are Dropped 21 Months Later

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. 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. Twenty one months later it is over legally. What did they find? Nothing. All that pain for nothing? We are innocent! WE ARE INNOCENT! ARE THEY????

Medically Kidnapped South Carolina Boys Come Home After 15 Months

There were squeals of delight, tears of joy, and hugs all around at the Headley residence in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Thursday. After almost 15 months in state custody, the 4 Headley boys are home, and their parents want to thank everyone who has prayed and stood by them during the most difficult season of their lives. The children were seized by the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) on July 10, 2015, when their mother was accused of Munchausen by Proxy by Child Abuse Specialist Dr. Nancy Henderson. That accusation came shortly after parents William and Danielle Headley complained to hospital administrators about their youngest son Jack's surgery beginning before the 3 year old was fully sedated. Jack was placed into a foster home, and his 3 older brothers were sent to a group home facility - Epworth Children's Home (website). Now, their time in foster care has come to an end, after a judge found that "probable cause no longer exists for the minor children to remain in custody." They spent the day Thursday laughing and being visited by lots of family and friends.

Arkansas Senator on CPS Kidnappings: “No Horror Movie Ever Prepared You for This”

When you are innocent (of child abuse), real problems develop. Those of you who have been burglarized know that it is not the "things" they took that does the most harm. It is that they take your peace of mind. The thief shatters your trust in society. Someone did it. Probably someone you know. Likely someone you trust. You begin to live in a new hateful, mind numbing, inner peace destroying reality. Compared to having your children taken when you are innocent, burglary is a walk in the park. Having a "true finding" is devastating. Finding out that you have no constitutional rights, that the system is "protecting you and your children" with secrecy is maddening. This cannot happen in America, people think. It cannot happen to me. I am a good parent. Dealing with a system (even if not individuals) jaded by the horrors of the guilty, you are one more guilty perp maintaining your innocence. And the only thing the system hates worse than a child abuser is a child abuser who won't admit it. No horror movie ever prepared you for this. It obliterates the mirage of what you thought being an American meant. It changes you and scars you forever.

Arkansas CPS Attorney Writes: “What Happened to my Country?”

So I'm lying here and can't sleep for the second night in a row wondering what has happened to my Country. My Country that Merle Haggard sang about. My Country that was born of courage of the likes of Nathaniel Bacon, Francis Marion, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and Sam Houston. My Country that hometown buddies would fight to defend if you so much as insulted her; and even more dangerous and downright foolish was to insult Texas or the South. My Country that loved and protected her own above all others; but was kind, and strong, and protective of the weak and oppressed. If my Country ever truly existed she has just as surely as I lie here writing this with tears in my eyes been put to death by apathy, and greed, and weakness, and cowardice. Everyday I see injustice. Everyday I see oppression. Everyday I see on the faces of my clients; terror and anguish as they are forced to endure the wrath of "Child Protective Services". Child Protective Services operates with no sense of duty to the people. The checks and balances and safeguards created by our Constitutions are ignored today and no citizen in this State can be secure in his person, house, paper, or effect, if he is a parent with a minor child in his care. Arkansas DCFS boldly and openly operates outside both the US and Arkansas Constitutions and will continue to do so as long as we the people allow it.

Texas CPS Defies Judge’s Order to Homeschool, Keeps Rembis Children in Public School

On Monday September 26th, we reported that Texas Judge Hart made a stunning Pro-Family order at the close of the Adversary hearing for the Rembis family on September 20th, allowing Claire Rembis to homeschool her 10 children, even while they are in temporary state custody in Lubbock, Texas. On Monday September 26th, the Rembis’ met with CPS, who informed them they must start attending “Life Skills” classes beginning Saturday October 1st, and then allegedly made this shocking statement: “It’s not possible to homeschool while in foster care.” Therefore, the children remain in public school, directly defying Judge Hart’s order from September 20th. Some of the children are being bullied in public school, and CPS is forcing the children to get medical procedures against their parents' desires. Claire cried: "This is terrible. Just so mean. CPS will not abide by the court orders. We learned yesterday that they are not going to allow us to continue homeschooling. They have pretty much laughed in judge Harts' face."

Texas Judge Allows Mother to Homeschool Her Own Children – Denies Request to Vaccinate Children While in State Custody

Texas Pro-family Judge Hart has allowed Claire Rembis to homeschool her 10 children while they are still being held in state custody in Lubbock, Texas. The family is hopeful that their children will soon be home with them. Judge Hart, who seems intent on following the law, also denied the CPS request to give vaccines or cut the Rembis children's hair while they temporarily remain in State custody.