Child Removal Cases

This page archives report, comment and analysis on child removal cases we consider worth reviewing in chronological order for the following purposes:

1. to assist those engaged in the practice of law or in legal or social research;
2. to empower parents to make better informed decisions when their government has the power to remove children from their parents;
3. to reveal the nature of the "child protection" industry from the service recipient's perspective.

Every effort has been made to include judgments and the original source documents in these cases. However due to various reasons beyond our control, these documents are not always available. Hyperlinks may not be valid at the time of viewing. Our browsers are encouraged to notify us when they come across invalid links.

Note that not all cases took place in British Columbia. Browsers are encouraged to submit their cases reflecting their knowledge and experience in the "child protection" industry. Submissions will be verified to ensure accuracy and authenticity, therefore we will not accept anonymous submissions. Confidentiality and privacy will be treated with the highest respect. We will not divulge any information provided without prior consent.

The original source of information is linked to the title (in blue) on each individual case page.

1. Lisa Arlin, Surrey, B.C., Canada (August 1996)
   Synopsis: parent committed suicide after child removal and denial of access, mother gave consent to continuing custody order under duress and threat of cancellation visitation, archived on October 14, 2010
2. The Rahman case in British Columbia, Canada (April 09, 2005)
   Synopsis: Shaken Baby Syndrome, children returned, case closed, archived on May 31, 2010
3. Renee Terrell, Henderson, Kentucky, U.S.A. (October 2006)
   Synopsis: child removed due to alleged neglect, mother killed social worker in the last supervised visit, archived on January 4, 2011
4. The Bayne's case in Hope and Surrey, British Columbia, Canada (October 2007)
   Synopsis: Shaken Baby Syndrome, 2 older children returned and re-removed when parents went public, case open, court is expected to make a ruling on MCFD's CCO application in 2010, archived since inception of this page
5. Removal of 1-Year old S. from Mel in Victoria, British Columbia (December 2007)
   Synopsis: 1-year Victoria boy was removed due to a rash, father seeks custody over four years without success, the Ministry repeatedly changed its decisions and keep delaying custody hearing using various tactics, archived on 25 December 2011
6. Misha Peterson, Vancouver, B.C., Canada (September 22, 2008)
   Synopsis: a 16-year old teenage mother was tasered twice by Vancouver City Police when her child was removed due to her 17-year-old boyfriend broke a supervision requirement, case status unknown, archived since inception of this page
7. Heath and Deborah Campbell, New Jersey, U.S.A. (January 2009)
   Synopsis: an American couple in New Jersey, U.S.A. named their children after Nazi leaders, there is a belief that their children drew the attention of the local "child protection" agency because of their names, there are also suggestions that their children were removed due to unspecified family problems, case status unknown, archived on February 1, 2009
8. Li's child removal, Vancouver, B.C., Canada (January 2009)
   Synopsis: new born infant believed to exhibit Shaken Baby Syndrome in Richmond, B.C., Canada, both children removed including a non-Canadian 6-year old child visitor from Beijing, China, no criminal charge laid on either parent, older child returned to parents after being escorted by "child protection" social worker to Beijing, infant eventually returned to parents after they passed a lie detector test, archived on February 1, 2009
9. Sister of Templeton Secondary "hit list" teen removal, Vancouver, B.C., Canada (June 29, 2009)
   Synopsis: kid sister of a high school teen removed when he was released on bail for death-threat and weapon charges, sister was returned after the family went public, case status unknown, archived since inception of this page
10. Lisa and Anthony Demaree child removal, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. (aired on September 18, 2009)
    Synopsis: 3 children removed after parents took nude innocent photos and developed them in Wal-mart, court returned children, parents sued the state and Wal-mart for defamation, case status unknown, archived since inception of this page
11. Hong Kong couple Hung-Kwan Yuen and Anna Zhang from Toronto arrested for kidnapping their own children in Richmond, B.C., Canada (aired on October 26, 2009)
    Synopsis: 4 children removed from Hong Kong Chinese immigrants in Toronto due to messy home, CAS obtained permanent custody of 2 children, parents took these children in the last visitation before adoption attempting to bring them back to Hong Kong, parents were arrested in Richmond en route and charged of kidnapping, case status unknown, archived since inception of this page
12. Leah and Steve Flagg's child removal, Kamloops, B.C., Canada (December 2009)
    Synopsis: 3 younger children removed before Christmas 2009 when 20-year-old problematic son returned home from MCFD care, children eventually returned when the problematic son left, case status unknown, archived on May 6, 2010
13. Chris Martell, Saskatoon, Canada (June 7, 2010)
    Synopsis: 22-month-old Native child Evander Lee Daniels died in foster care, father Chris Martell raised money for legal fees to seek answer of his son's death, case open, archived on July 28, 2010
14. Richard Williams Another B.C. Native child dies in foster care, Port Alberni, B.C., Canada (September 10, 2010)
    Synopsis: another Native infant died in foster care, Port Alberni RCMP is investigating the death, archived on September 11, 2010
15. Elizabeth Mort and Alex Rodriguez Losing a Baby Over a Poppy Seed (November 2, 2010)
    Synopsis: Elizabeth Mort and Alex Rodriguez of Newcastle, PA lost their 3-day old infant Isabella to Lawrence County Children and Youth Services because the mother had tested positive for drugs while in the hospital. The false positive had been caused by an "everything" bagel with poppy seeds Elizabeth had eaten two hours before going to the hospital ... Statement of Elizabeth Mort, archived on November 17, 2010
16. Tracy Watson, Renee Stalker, Olivia Stalker, Shafer Watson, Riley Watson v. County of Santa Clara, et al (Judgment handed down on April 4, 2011, San Jose, California, the U.S.A. stemmed from an incident on June 29, 2005)
    Synopsis: Federal Jury in San Jose, CA awarded $3.25 million (including $2 million in punitive damages for the officers’ reckless abuse of authority) to the Watson-Stalker family whose children had been unlawfully taken by San Jose police officers, William Hoyt, Craig Blank and at least five other uniformed officers, as retaliation for asserting their rights as citizens, archived on April 8, 2011
17. Alleged Insanity of Ms. A of Salmon Arm, British Columbia (November 2009 and June 2011)
    Synopsis: Polish immigrant Ms. A (we removed all identifiable information because of an e-mail order sent by the police on 8 November 2011) lost her first child right after birth in 2009 due to an allegation of mental disorder, she was diagnosed by psychiatrist and clinical psychologist, both found no mental illness, their advocate had been warned that her continued assistance may lead to further MCFD involvement on her own family, second child born on 5 June 2011 was removed after birth, archived on June 4, 2011
18. Edmonton mother Jamie Sullivan went public after her infant Delonna Sullivan died in care on 11 April 2011
    Synopsis: Edmonton mother Jamie Sullivan went public after her infant Delonna Sullivan died in care on 11 April 2011, Alberta "child protection" law prohibits naming of children and guardians in child protection cases, she risks breaking the law in her endeavor to seek justice, an Alberta Court of Queen's Bench judge has lifted a publication ban on the identity on 13 October 2011, "child protection" workers intended to remove her roommate's children, her infant happened to be a collateral damage at the wrong place at the wrong time, archived on June 18, 2011
19. Removal of a 9-Year old autistic girl from a single father Derek Hoare in Abbotsford, British Columbia (16 June 2011)
    Synopsis: a 9-year old autistic girl escaped her family home, police found her in the backyard of neighbour several hours later, "child protection" workers from MCFD removed her 4 days later for non-protective reason using a voluntary agreement which itself calls for removal as less intrusive means, father refused to accept the agreement and his child removed from school, archived on July 6, 2011
20. Patricia Krentcil charged of child endangerment on 30 April 2012 new
    Synopsis: mother charged of child endangerment when a school nurse reported to child protective services that her 5-year old daughter is suspected of getting sunburn because her mother took her to a tanning booth, archived on 3 May 2012

[This page was added on 9 February 2009, last revised on 9 November 2011.]