Attorneys Being Trained to Fight Bogus Child Abuse Charges used in Medical Kidnappings

Incidences of innocent parents being accused of medical abuse from "abusive head trauma" (AHT), formerly known as shaken baby syndrome (SBS), are being reported more and more in the media these days. We have reported several of these stories here at MedicalKidnap.com, where babies are removed from the custody of their parents based on the testimony of a doctor. In some cases, the parents are going to jail over these accusations. The increase in parents being accused of AHT seems to parallel a new Child Abuse Specialist certification with the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2010. This has created a whole new class of pediatricians whose sole purpose is to determine if a child's injuries show parental or care giver abuse. Rather than the family pediatrician, who has regular contact with the family, making a determination if childhood injuries are indicative of abuse, now a "specialist" is called in who often has little or no contact with the family, and makes a determination of "abuse" simply on medical tests. One has to wonder if more children need to be determined to be "abused" in order to justify the employment of this new class of pediatric "Child Abuse Specialists"? Earlier this month (June 2015), the American Bar Association published an article in their Children's Rights Litigation section documenting the growing problem of innocent parents losing their children to Child Protection Services based on the testimony of these new pediatric Child Abuse Specialists. Attorney Melissa Staas from The Family Defense Center in Chicago wrote the article: Litigating Shaken Baby Syndrome Allegations in the Child Welfare Context.

Medical Kidnapping in Pennsylvania: Parents of Baby with Rickets Accused of Abuse

Pennsylvania mother Jessica Battiato is frustrated with a doctor and a system that refuses to look for the medical cause of her baby's condition, instead placing the blame on the parents. Since her son Cesar, now 5 months old, was taken by child protective services 2 months ago, her son has been diagnosed with rickets and hypotonia by a radiology expert. However, CPS seized custody of Cesar in April, based on accusations by Penn State child abuse specialist, Dr. Kathryn Crowell, that Cesar's injuries could only be caused by abuse. Dr. Crowell has been accused of falsely testifying against parents before. In a 2009 case she accused a parent of child abuse which led to a father spending over a year in jail. A jury later found him not guilty. Jessica wants answers for her baby, and she wants her baby back home, not in a foster home. "My son needs medical attention. He doesn't need to be neglected by the state."

Medical Kidnapping in Missouri: 25 Year Old Daughter Forced onto Drugs and Committed to Mental Facility

A mother in Missouri has reached out to Health Impact News for help in getting the story of her 25 year old daughter told to the public. Donna Hitt from Columbia, Missouri tells Health Impact News that her autistic daughter, Chasity, started functioning at a high level after she weaned her off of psych drugs, and started feeding her an organic diet. Chasity had reportedly been confined to a hospital and heavily sedated, sleeping about 20 hours a day. After bringing her home, weaning her off of her drugs, and changing her diet, Donna reports that Chasity started functioning at a high level. She reportedly started contributing to household chores, attending church, and even applied for a job. However, a social worker assigned to their case suggested that Donna should seek legal guardianship of Chasity, since Chasity is an adult. Donna says she followed this advice, and after the State of Missouri allegedly conducted a mental health evaluation of Chasity, they took over her custody against her will, and the will of her daughter. She is now confined to a mental facility, back on the same drugs she had previously suffered from, and is again sleeping away most of her days. Donna says she has not been able to talk to her daughter since October of 2014. Here is her story.

Kids in Foster Care 3 Times As Likely To Get Psych Drugs

Children in foster care in Pennsylvania are at least three times as likely as other children to receive drugs used to treat mental illness. That’s the conclusion of research released today at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the results have public health officials concerned. Researchers found that while about 15 percent of all children covered by Medicaid receive psychotropic drugs — drugs that work on their brains — about 45 percent of those in foster care do. State human services secretary Ted Dallas says it’s true that kids in foster care may have greater mental health needs because of the trauma that got them in the system, but he says the disparity indicates that over-medication is taking place. “To think that we’re compounding that damage (of foster care placement) by inappropriately prescribing medication to these kids is deeply disturbing to me and is simply unacceptable,” he said.

Arizona Mother Speaks Out on Medical Kidnapping of Her Daughters

My trial has finally started in Arizona. My family's case isn't tiny; nobody's is when it involves children's lives. For my family, it has been 14 months since both my daughters Kayla and Hannah Diegel were taken. I have seen the most horrifying images. They are etched into my brain as if a hot iron has seared it there. I not only had my children taken, but now I have become an outspoken advocate, a writer, an activist, a fighting mother that was falsely accused. Suddenly, I have found myself amongst thousands of families who are now intertwined with mine, and I can feel their pain because I know their pain...... because I LIVE THEIR PAIN. I too know what it is like to have a child ripped from my arms and taken from my home. Time keeps moving, but it's like my heart has stopped.

Former LA County Social Worker Reveals Corruption in Child “Protection” Services

Tammi Stefano of the National Safe Child Show interviewed Melinda Murphy regarding the abuses of the LA County Department of Children and Family Services. Melinda Murphy has worked in Child Welfare for over 20 years. She has a master's degree in counseling and educational psychology. She is co-author of the book A Culture of Fear: An Inside Look at Los Angeles County’s Department of Children & Family Services. She worked for DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services) in LA County for 10 years in various capacities, including: social worker, supervisor, investigator, and court officer. She was known for handling tough cases that other social workers could not handle, and when she left the agency, she left on good terms. So why did she leave after working there for nearly 10 years? "Because I had a conscience. I wanted to be able to sleep at night. I wanted to be able to look at myself in the mirror. When I went to work for them, I thought I'd be working for the children, I'd be working for the families, building on their strengths. I discovered no, what I am doing is I am working for the Department of Children and Family Services. I am a PR agent. I'm not protecting the children and the families. I am protecting the Department of Children and Family Services. And I couldn't live with that."

Neuropathologist Rejects Theory of Shaken Baby Syndrome

A UK neuropathologist has told the trial of a child-minder charged with assaulting a baby that shaken baby syndrome has no scientific validation. “I looked at many many cases of shaken baby syndrome,” she said. “I could no longer agree that this was a syndrome that had any scientific validation. I came to the view that I could not be sure this is a real syndrome.”

Family Fights for their 5 Children Medically Kidnapped in Missouri

Since we published the Wanosik family story earlier in June, we have some very exciting updates. The Wanosik family is getting local media attention. “You are guilty until proven innocent in this family court situation” said the mother, Rebecca Wanosik. They were able to share their story in their local newspaper. Now the Wanosik’s have been assigned a “child services specialist,” apparently because their case is considered a "high profile" case due to media coverage. But the battle is not over yet. Many families are enjoying their children this summer on family vacations and beautiful weather with picnics and family get-togethers. Rebecca and Anthony continue to fight for this nightmare to come to a close.

Are Vaccines Altering Our Genes Causing Brittle Bones in Infants?

In recent years, doctors have seen a rise in the number of children suffering from genetic conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Osteogenesis Imperfecta. This has caused many to question whether or not the rising number of vaccinations could be to blame. A growing number of parents have reported that their child was fit and healthy prior to receiving their vaccinations and that they have only developed these conditions after being vaccinated. If this is true, could it be because their children already had the genetic markers for these conditions and the vaccinations simply prompted their bodies to develop the full-blown disorder? In this article, we take a look at the evidence that healthy children are developing potentially life-threatening genetic disorders rarely seen before the increased vaccination schedule.

Medical Kidnapping in Maine: Child with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome & Sister Seized – Grandfather Commits Suicide

Brandon and Cynthia Ross became concerned after noticing their baby’s leg was swollen. Even though Ryder was not crying excessively, had no bruises, red marks, or any outward signs of injury other than the swelling, the couple took him to the doctor for an examination. After performing some x-rays and finding the infant with multiple fractures throughout his body, the doctors sent the family to the Maine Medical Center (MMC) for further evaluation. Before the couple understood the depths of the evaluation, they were deemed guilty of child abuse by officials at MMC. Six days after Ryder was admitted to the hospital, the state of Maine chose to remove both Ryder and his two-year-old sister Rosalynn from their parents’ care. On June 12, 2014 Brandon, a twenty-five year old father, was indicted on twelve counts of child abuse and was arrested by Bath, Maine police. After being transported to the local jail, he received death threats from other inmates. The threats were taken so seriously that the jail provided Brandon with private accommodations for his safety. On Father’s Day of 2014, just days after Brandon’s arrest, after telling the family he believed the state was out to get Brandon, Ryder’s seventy-four year old grandfather committed suicide, after writing a note falsely claiming responsibility for Ryder’s injuries. In October of 2014, the true cause of the baby’s fractures was finally discovered. The little guy suffered from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). He, his mother, and his grandmother were diagnosed by Dr. Michael Holick at the Boston University Medical Center.