"Children Taken By the Family Courts" Quilt Project

Battered Women, Abused Children, and Child Custody: A National Crisis

The Battered Mothers Custody Conference

Visit www.batteredmotherscustodyconference.org for additional information,hotel reservations, and conference registration.

"Children Taken By the Family Courts" Quilt Project

The Conference has hosted a community quilt entitled "Children Taken by the Family Courts" since 2007. A short news clip showing the quilt at the 2009 conference is available online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_qh-jX9qGk .

The quilt is modeled after the AIDS quilt that was started in 1987 and that has since grown tremendously, gaining wide publicity for the cause of combating AIDS and HIV infection.

We are asking mothers who have lost physical custody of their children through family or divorce court proceedings to create a 1.5’ by 3’ fabric panel to commemorate their child(ren).  Panels can be made before the conference and brought or mailed for inclusion in the quilt (see address below).  We will be providing some sewing materials and other necessities so that mothers can work on their panels during the weekend of the conference. Mothers do NOT need to attend the conference in order to have their panel included in the quilt. Complete instructions for creating and mailing panels are below.

Please display the following on the front of your panel:

The first name(s) and last initial(s) of the child(ren) of whom you lost custody as a result of family or divorce court proceedings.

The child(ren)’s date of birth and the county and state of the court system through which you lost custody.

The month and year you lost custody of your child(ren).

Any drawings, artwork, or items that make the panel meaningful to you.

On the back of your finished (backed and hemmed) panel, in an inconspicuous place (one that does not show through to the front) please write YOUR name, phone number, and e-mail address. Please also safety-pin a note to the panel with this information.

Write a statement

Please also take the time to write a statement about your child(ren) and briefly describe how you lost custody. Please include your name, e-mail address and phone number on this statement.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING PANELS

Your design can be vertical or horizontal, but the finished, hemmed panel should be 1.5 feet by 3 feet (45 cm x 90 cm).

The fabric can be traditional quilting material found at any fabric or craft store, or can be made up of scraps pieced together to meet the size requirements.

Batting for the panels is not necessary, but backing made of sturdy fabric is needed to help keep panels clean when they are laid out on the ground. It also helps retain the shape of the fabric.

When you cut your 2 pieces of fabric (panel front and the backing), leave an extra 2 inches on each side for a hem. Please sew your panel and backing pieces together, seams inside (like you are making a pillow), or hem them so that there are no raw seams on the outside. Hand sewing is fine if you don’t have access to a sewing machine. Please just do whatever you are able to do.

You may use most techniques and or embellishments, as long as they are secured well, including but not limited to: appliqué, piecing, embroidery, fabric markers, fabric paints, stenciling, beading, ribbons, sequins, or buttons (see descriptions below). Remember that the quilt will be folded and unfolded every time it is displayed, so durability is crucial. Since glue deteriorates with time, it is best to sew things to the panel.

Appliqué: Sew fabric, letters and small mementos onto the background fabric. Do not rely on glue - it won't last.

Paint: Brush on textile paint or color-fast dye, or use an indelible ink pen. Please don't use "puffy" paint; it's too sticky.

Stencils: Trace your design onto the fabric with a pencil, lift the stencil, then use a brush to apply textile paint or indelible markers.

Collage: Make sure that whatever materials you add to the panel won't tear the fabric (avoid glass and sequins for this reason), and be sure to avoid very bulky objects.

Sending in your panel:

If you will be attending the Battered Mothers Custody Conference, you can work on your panel over the weekend of the conference.  Some guidance and materials will be provided; you also are encouraged to bring materials with you.

If you will not be attending the conference, please ship your finished panel (make sure to use adequate protective waterproof packing material) to:

BMCC V

26 Purtell Avenue

Latham, New York 12110

Contact: mhannah413@aol.com

Thank you!

Dr. Gardner's ghost still haunts Rhode Island -- The Father of Parental Alienation

Dr. Gardner's ghost still haunts Rhode Island

By Anne Grant (about the author)

Dr. Richard A. Gardner by CincinnatiPAS.com

As Judge Haiganush R. Bedrosian becomes Chief of Family Court, it is time we banished the ghost of Dr. Richard Gardner, whose coercive tactics in Rhode Island courtrooms have been haunting families traumatized by domestic abuse.

Victims of terror do not present well in court. They are tense, emotional and understandably outraged. On the opposing side, tyrannical controllers can be calm and charming litigants, confident in the damage they have inflicted. Their lawyers, who are often accomplished bullies in their own right, tell astounding lies calculated to trigger a full display of symptoms in the victims.

Psychiatrist Richard A. Gardner designed a stealth weapon in 1985 that he called "Parental Alienation Syndrome." A domestic-violence-denier, Gardner testified for hundreds of fathers and argued that mothers had "alienated" their children against them. Gardner also wrote that sexual relations between parents and children were natural. He told filmmaker Garland Waller that children who report abuse by their fathers should be threatened with a beating. He committed suicide in 2003, but his ghost still haunts our courtrooms. Here are three examples from cases I have been following:

In 2004, Warwick police charged a Family Court deputy sheriff with felony domestic violence when they found his girlfriend handcuffed in their kitchen with a broken jaw and eye socket. Already entrenched in litigation, the deputy sheriff was an often-unruly defendant in the same courtroom where he once kept order. He demanded custody of his ten-year-old daughter, who was terrified of him.

In the corridor during a break, David M. Tassoni, assistant to Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah, Jr., told me he was searching for a psychologist who "understood parental alienation." Tassoni found Lori Meyerson, PhD, in a cramped country office and invited her to serve at Family Court, where she testified that the deputy sheriff was a "happy, calm and level person." She had never visited either parent's home when she recommended giving the father sole custody. General Magistrate John J. O'Brien, Jr., praised Meyerson's work and declared this case to be "as close as you can get to parental alienation."

Tassoni told me he was working with Judge Bedrosian and a joint committee from the Court and the Bar Association on a training program to qualify guardians ad litem.  Their 2004 course and manual devoted an entire section to Gardner's theory of parental alienation.

Attorney Lise M. Iwon, who is now president of the Rhode Island Bar Association, helped teach that course, though she did not follow its guidelines in writing her report as guardian ad litem in another case. A three-and-a-half-year-old had protested behavior she described as her father's "sausage games" on days they spent alone. A pediatrician's office reported this to DCYF, who ordered the father out of the home. A few months later, the mother filed for divorce.

I asked why Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch had failed to convene a grand jury. He considered the child too young to be believed. Neither DCYF nor the AG used available technology to record this child's "excited utterances" in order to meet standards of evidence. They made no video of her reportedly vivid "reenactment" of an assault. No jury saw the graphic portrait she drew of her father.

Iwon succeeded in getting the girl and her older sister removed from an excellent mother and home. After sixteen months in state custody, the court gave the younger girl to her father and moved the older one from a shelter to a foster home, all at state expense. Iwon's course of action suggested that a Gardner-defense was underway. Like Tassoni's efforts on behalf of the deputy sheriff, Iwon sought psychiatric examiners, and found a pliable group in Massachusetts, where psychologist Bernice Kelly, PsyD, wrote that Iwon, herself, had suggested the possibility of "parental alienation."

In 2007, Kelly's report to the court listed Gardner's "eight symptoms" of alienation. She seemed unaware that the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges had identified this as "junk science" the year before. NCJFCJ had warned judges to strike any report referring to parental alienation from the record because it failed to meet standards of evidence.

This year, as the American Psychological Association prepares to publish the Fifth Edition of itsDiagnostic and Statistical Manual, its committee has steadfastly resisted pressure to elevate "parental alienation" to scientific credibility.

Yet Blue Cross and Blue Shield apparently reimburses providers for parental alienation "therapy." In 2007, psychologist Peter J. Kosseff, PhD, testified in Rhode Island that his court-ordered efforts to forcibly "reconcile" two teenagers with their father were not what Kosseff considered "therapeutic." Nevertheless, he billed Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut for "miscellaneous medical service" and got paid for those sessions--though they ended badly when the 14-year-old daughter suffered a breakdown and spent ten days at Bradley Hospital, costing the insurer many thousands more.

How long will the ghost of Dr. Gardner haunt Rhode Island's children? I am confident that Chief Judge Bedrosian does not share Gardner's pro-pedophile views. She is now in a position to end his ghostly reign in Rhode Island and to promote the highest standards of evidence in Family Court's handling of custody cases.

But one branch of government is not enough. Will Governor Lincoln Chafee demand thorough reform at the Department of Children, Youth and Families? The General Assembly has mandated that DCYF must, in 2011, start the process toward accreditation.

Will Attorney General Peter Kilmartin use technology and convene grand juries to examine evidence of sex crimes by family members against young children? (Two of the fathers above acknowledged that they were sexually assaulted in childhood, one by his father and the other by his grandfather.)

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At 64, I spend my life with my best friend, Phil West. (When marriage can be this good, why isn't it legal for everyone?) We are both retired United Methodist pastors who value what we learned in the Church and have moved on to new kinds of (more...)

Children who have suffered from domestic abuse need all three branches of government to work together and unequivocally banish Dr. Gardner's ghost from Rhode Island. 

Anne Grant was executive director of Rhode Island's largest shelter for battered women and their children from 1988 to 1996. There she learned how family court helps batterers control their families after divorce. She writes several blogs on domestic abuse custody cases, and contributed a chapter on Rhode Island to Domestic Violence, Abuse, and Child Custody: Legal Strategies and Policy Issues(Civic Research Institute, 2010).

Woman punched unconscious during child custody dispute

 http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16934218?nclick_check=1

WALNUT CREEK -- Police Tasered a man who allegedly punched his ex-wife in the face during a child custody exchange and then fought officers who tried to arrest him.

Don West, 50, of Walnut Creek, was booked at the County Jail in Martinez on suspicion of domestic violence and making criminal threats after being evaluated at a hospital.

The assault took place at 5:50 p.m. in a municipal parking lot near a pub in the 1500 block of North Broadway, police Sgt. Lanny Edwards said.

Several people called 911 after seeing West argue with the victim over the custody exchange of two children, before knocking her unconscious with a punch.

West ran away, but returned later, police said. When officers tried to arrest him, he fought back and resisted arrest.

The victim was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Roman Gokhman covers public safety. Contact him at 925-945-4780. Follow him at Twitter.com/RomiTheWriter.

A LETTER FROM SANTA CLAUS

A LETTER FROM SANTA CLAUS

I received this letter last night…

Dear Virginia,

I am writing to you to let you know that Santa is not ignoring your most fervent request this Christmas, nor has Santa ignored these same requests for the past years. It’s simply that Santa can not give you what you want, because Family law and the Judges who govern these courts have deemed that your daddy does have the right to abuse you.  He is allowed to beat you, break your bones, torture, have sex with you, sodomize, molest or do anything else that he wants.

Please Virginia, don’t be angry or hate your mommy because she is not protecting you.  For the same rules and judges that allow your father to abuse you will force your mother out of your life if she objects.  So, your mommy can do nothing but hold your hand, wipe your tears and cry silently by herself while she sits helplessly by as your daddy continues to hurt you.  For, if she does object the chances are good that a Family Court Judge will deem her unfit or crazy and force her into only seeing you under supervised conditions.  During this time you will live with your daddy and he will have carte blanche to continue his abuse.  I repeat, Virginia, it is the Family Court system and the judges who govern over them that allow these atrocities to be committed against the children.

Also, Virginia, do not feel guilty when you are forced to lie to these same judges and claim that your mommy is a bad person.  Mommy and Santa understand that you have no choice.  For these same judges will send you home with daddy after you testify or talk to them and mommy and Santa know what daddy will do if you were to tell the truth.  Mommy and Santa understand that you are just trying to survive this horrible childhood of abuse and we still believe that you are a good girl.

Virginia, Santa is so sorry that he can not help you.  Perhaps next year, you should send your letter to the leader of an influential government and ask that he, or she, take a dramatic step in making changes in the Family Court system. Ask that these same judges that are sending countless numbers of children to live with fathers who abuse, beat, rape, sodomize and even kill them to be held accountable.  Ask that when a protective parent fights for their child’s safety that they not be automatically deemed an alienator.  Ask that the judges be forced to recognize that when an abusive parent/father fights for sole custody that they will win in approximately 70% of the cases.  Ask that when pictures and statements of abuse are provided that the family court judges be forced to acknowledge this evidence, instead of refusing to as they send the children to live in horrific circumstances.  For it is clear to Santa that these judges do not care that an average of 2 children a week are being murdered while many more are being subjugated to unspeakable abuse.

So, Virginia, in closing, Santa says that he is so sorry that he can not give you the gift that you most desire.  However, Santa will pray for year in this coming year.  Santa will pray that you receive one less beating, that you have one less broken bone, that Daddy visits your bedroom at night at least one less time in 2011. Finally, Santa will pray that you live to see the next year, because Santa knows that many children will not live to see 2012, for their daddy’s will kill them.

I am so sorry,

Santa Claus

(TX) Man Shoots girlfriend then shoots self Woman critical, man killed

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20101223/NEWS01/12230333

Stewart County authorities responding to a domestic violence call found one woman with a gunshot wound and a man dead in what they believe to be an attempted murder-suicide.

 

"That's how we're investigating it, as an attempted murder-suicide," said Phillip Castille of the Stewart County Sheriff's Office. "We don't know all the details yet."

The names of the victims were not released. Castille said the man was probably in his early 30s and the woman is likely in her late 20s. They were either married or were boyfriend and girlfriend, Castille added.

Castille said the sheriff's department responded to a domestic disturbance call at a residence on Sparrow Lane in the Leatherwood Resort area of Stewart County at about 11:50 p.m. Monday. Castille said authorities found the woman with a "very serious" wound from a "large-caliber handgun."

She was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

The man was dead at the scene, Castille said, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Castille said "there is a history" between the couple in terms of domestic violence.

"It's still under investigation," Castille said. "We're waiting to hear from the State Medical Examiner's Office."

APA GUIDELINES FOR CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATIONS IN FAMILY LAW PROCEEDINGS

Courtesy RightsForMothers

This is new (December, 2010) from the American Psychological Association.  I want to get this out there to help moms…I’ll reserve my commentary to the comments section below.

Introduction

Family law proceedings encompass a broad range of issues, including custody, maintenance, support, valuation, visitation, relocation, and termination of parental rights. The following guidelines address what are commonly termed child custodyevaluations, involving disputes over decision making, caretaking, and access in the wake of marital or other relationship dissolution. The goal of these guidelines is to promote proficiency in the conduct of these particular evaluations. This narrowed focus means that evaluations occurring in other contexts (e.g., child protection matters) are not covered by these guidelines. In addition, the guidelines acknowledge a clear distinction between the forensic evaluations described in this document and the advice and support that psychologists provide to families, children, and adults in the normal course of psychotherapy and counseling.

Although some states have begun to favor such terms as parenting plan, parenting time, or parental rights and responsibilities over the term custody (American Law Institute, 2000, pp. 131–132), the substantial majority of legal authorities and scientific treatises still refer to custody when addressing the resolution of decision-making, caretaking, and access disputes. In order to avoid confusion and to ensure that these guidelines are utilized as widely as possible, these guidelines apply the term custody to these issues generically, unless otherwise specified. It is no longer the default assumption that child custody proceedings will produce the classic paradigm of sole custodian versus visiting parent. Many states recognize some form of joint or shared custody that affirms the decision-making and caretaking status of more than one adult. The legal system also recognizes that the disputes in question are not exclusively marital and therefore may not involve divorce per se. Some parents may never have been married and perhaps may never even have lived together. In addition, child custody disputes may arise after years of successful co-parenting when one parent seeks to relocate for work related or other reasons. These guidelines apply the term parents generically when referring to persons who seek legal recognition as sole or shared custodians.

Parents may have numerous resources at their disposal, including psychotherapy, counseling, consultation, mediation, and other forms of conflict resolution. When parents agree to a child custody arrangement on their own—as they do in the overwhelming majority (90%) of cases (Melton, Petrila, Poythress, & Slobogin, 2007)—there may be no dispute for the court to decide. However, if parties are unable to reach such an agreement, the court must intervene in order to allocate decision making, caretaking, and access, typically applying a “best interests of the child” standard in determining this restructuring of rights and responsibilities (Artis, 2004; Elrod, 2006; Kelly, 1997).

Psychologists render a valuable service when they provide competent and impartial opinions with direct relevance to the “psychological best interests” of the child (Miller, 2002). The specific nature of psychologists’ involvement and the potential for misuse of their influence have been the subject of ongoing debate (Grisso, 1990, 2005; Krauss & Sales, 1999, 2000; Melton et al., 2007).

The acceptance and thus the overall utility of psychologists’ child custody evaluations are augmented by demonstrably competent forensic practice and by consistent adherence to codified ethical standards.  These guidelines are informed by the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct” (hereinafter referred to as the Ethics Code; APA, 2002). The term guidelines refers to statements that suggest or recommend specific professional behavior, endeavors, or conduct for psychologists. Guidelines differ from standards in that standards are mandatory and may be accompanied by an enforcement mechanism. Guidelines are aspirational in intent. They are intended to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession and to help facilitate a high level of practice by psychologists. Guidelines are not intended to be mandatory or exhaustive and may not be applicable to every professional situation. They are not definitive, and they are not intended to take precedence over the judgment of psychologists.

Read more ›

AMERICAN MOTHERS POLITICAL PARTY will be discussing the TRUTH about The CELL TERRORIST’s - The Fathers Rights Movement EXPOSED

Merry FREEKFEST the topic of AMMP to night http://www.blogtalkradio.com/americanmotherspoliticalparty/2010/12/23/still-standing

Call-in Number: (347) 205-9977

AMERICAN MOTHERS POLITICAL PARTY will be discussing the TRUTH about the The CELL TERRORIST’s

The Fathers Rights Movement Naked

Live on BTR TONIGHT at 5pm CST -  6pm EST

 

Fathers Rights Naked - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

 

WHY DOES MARK K. GODBEY RANT ON ABOUT ABUSED WOMEN?

Is he in full makeup while he rants, or just acting like he is?

This father’s rights blogger rants on that this is a hate site.  All fathers are not bad…not all mothers are good.  But all abusers are bad.

Gender Polarization Impedes Family Law Reform | angiEmedia

I found this article published about 3 months ago, and agree with it completely.  Gender-based politics have lead to trauma and child abuse, while hate sites such as rightsformothers continues to espo… more →

Mark doesn’t think he is an abuser…his rants are abusive in itself and shows his true nature.  He was suggesting children be taught to attack people on Facebook.  That is disgusting.

Mark Godbey

Go get her a cheap Metro PCS phone… its about $29 and you give her monthly cards and money. Then you tell your daughter to tell her step-monster to kiss her ass because my real mom says you’re a whore….. mix things up a little..!!

Mark Godbey

I avoided that shit by buying my kids their own cell phone 3 times over the past 8 years. It is still Parental Alienation since she took it away from them every time. I can’t wait till my son is 1 inch taller than my ex-wife is…. I think he will take it back.

Mark Godbey

Hi CP, wait till your kid is big enough to tell your ex to shove his attitude up his ass. His time is coming.

Mark Godbey

Also, I am studying to be a Paralegal or a Legal Investigator working within Family Law. Concentrated coursework for next 7 weeks. I have been told more than once, the way to combat evil is one child at a time. I intend to ferret out those who make False Allegations, and alienate children. Since the police wont’ enforce laws that protect Parental Abductions, I will make that my mission. Fuck law enforcement.

I wonder if he has already tried to f*** law enforcement.  He is on probation, and has had three restraining orders to protect his ex-wife Margaret. Just who really is the hateful one?

 

DOSSIERS on the Fathers Rights CELL TERRORIST’s

Click each Image for Full REPORTS on the Cell Terrorists By the MOTHERS INTELLIGENCE SECRET SERVICE -- M.I.S.S

WARREN FARRELL

 

Dossier: Mike J Murphy

Dossier: Jeremy Swanson

Dossier: Mark K Godbey

Dossier:Donald Tenn

TODAY American Mothers Political Party Show Thursday 12-23-2010 6 PM EST Call-in Number: (347) 205-9977

Call-in Number: (347) 205-9977

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/americanmotherspoliticalparty/2010/12/23/still-standing

 

 

AMPP is a social movement seeking justice and accountability within the family court system which includes DHHS/CPS, psychologists and other so called experts.

• We as mothers demand CITIZENSHIP and our Rights to our Children.
• We demand that our children not be used as pawns by our abuser in a custody dispute.
• We demand that Mothers and Children be equally protected against court ordered visitation with an abuser.
• We demand that Mothers and Children be given the same rights, privileges and voice that the abuser gets in family courts!
• We demand that our President take action now as can no longer afford to be silent and we won’t.
• We demand the same "rights and freedoms" to which all humans are entitled.

Behind the closed doors of the dirty little secret of the family court system, thousands of women each year lose child custody to violent men who beat and abuse Mothers and Children. Family courts are not family-friendly and betray the best interests of the child.

Until Mothers and Children's voices are heard we will never shut up, give up or go away!

Mr President when will you give Mothers their Children back?? by MamaLiberty

Another DAD—in PRISON -- who had FULL CUSTODY-- Gave his children to HIS girlfriend’ & paternal family--Where one child was ABUSED to DEATH- young daughter survives—Mother sought to find them –Finds at morgue her child.

Related:VIDEO: Landon Payne candlelight vigil

Their father, Clint Payne, moved the children to South Dakota. He had full custody of both children.

When Clint moved the children, Gray said, her family had no idea where they went or what happened to them.

“We did not know (Clint’s) whereabouts until we got the call from the sheriff’s department telling us to call the HHS office. We called, and that’s when we found out about Landon’s death and that (his sister) was in protective custody,” Gray said, referring to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

“We didn’t have any contact with Clint after he moved. We had no way of getting in touch with him because we didn’t have a clue where he would have went.

Clint was in jail in South Dakota in August 2009. At first, his then-girlfriend cared for Landon and his sister.

http://www.kearneyhub.com/news/local/article_ba48b3e0-0d33-11e0-b93f-001cc4c03286.html

 

Waiting for Justice: Family would have found a way to get Landon Payne to Okla.

Hub GraphicIn a two-day series, Vicki Gray and Clinton Payne talk about alleged abuse victim Landon one year after his death.

Suspects in Landon Payne’s Death

Sharon Turnell, 37

Charges: Aiding and abetting child abuse that led to death.

Bond: Held in Phelps County Jail on 10 percent of $300,000, or $30,000.

Next court date: Kearney County District Court hearing Feb. 2.

Charles Turnell, 38

Charges: Aiding and abetting child abuse that led to death.

Bond: Held in Kearney County Jail on 10 percent of $300,000, or $30,000.

Next court date: Kearney County District Court hearing Feb. 2.

Katie Payne, 19

Charges: Being an accessory to a felony.

Bond: Free on personal recognizance bond.

Next court date: Pre-trial hearing Jan. 5.

Dustin Scoville, 23

Charges: Aiding and abetting child abuse that led to death, accessory to a felony.

Bond: Held in Buffalo County Jail on unrelated charges; bond in this case set at 10 percent of $1 million, or $100,000.

Next court date: Not scheduled.

Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 2:00 pm |Updated: 3:52 pm, Tue Dec 21, 2010.

By BETSY FRIEDRICH Hub Staff Writer |2 comments

PONCA CITY, Okla. — He loved Thomas the Train and “SpongeBob.” He and his grandma played “tickle monster,” and he and his big sister played house.

Landon Payne was like any other toddler when his grandmother, Vicki Gray, last saw him.

“He was very outgoing. He was the baby, the youngest and, yes, we all spoiled him,” she said. “His older brothers spoiled him a great deal. He just had such a big grin on his face all the time. There wasn’t ever a time you didn’t see a smile on his face. He didn’t know a stranger at all. Everybody loved him and thought he was such a cute little boy.”

Payne died Dec. 22, 2009, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney just a few days shy of his fifth birthday.

He allegedly was the victim of child abuse at the hands of his aunt, Sharon Turnell, 37, her husband, Charles Turnell, 38, her daughter, Katie Payne, 19, and Payne’s ex-husband, Dustin Scoville, 23. All four face charges in the case.

Gray of Ponca City, Okla., and Landon’s other family members are grieving and waiting for justice.

Gray said Landon was the youngest child of her daughter, Samantha Head of Cuba, Mo.

The other children are a 7-year-old sister and two half brothers ages 9 and 11. The sister lives with her aunt and uncle in Ponca City, and the boys live with Gray, their legal guardian.

Gray last saw Landon and his sister in June 2007, when their father, Clint Payne, moved the children to South Dakota. He had full custody of both children.

Head had lost custody because of neglect, Gray said.

When Clint moved the children, Gray said, her family had no idea where they went or what happened to them.

“We did not know (Clint’s) whereabouts until we got the call from the sheriff’s department telling us to call the HHS office. We called, and that’s when we found out about Landon’s death and that (his sister) was in protective custody,” Gray said, referring to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

“We didn’t have any contact with Clint after he moved. We had no way of getting in touch with him because we didn’t have a clue where he would have went.”

Clint was in jail in South Dakota in August 2009. At first, his then-girlfriend cared for Landon and his sister.

Then later that month, Sharon Turnell and Katie Payne traveled to South Dakota to pick up the children and bring Landon and his sister to live with them in Nebraska. In addition to Landon and his sister, the Turnells’ five children and one grandchild also lived in the home.

“I do wish that Clint would have contacted us when he got in trouble in South Dakota to come and pick the children up,” Gray said. “My son and daughter-in-law and myself would have found the money somehow, someway to go up there and get those children. I don’t know why he didn’t.”

While Landon and his sister were gone, Gray said, she and the children’s half brothers prayed for their siblings daily.

“We prayed for God to surround them with angels of protection, to protect them from wickedness and evilness. It was very hard for all of us, with our faith in God, not to blame him for not answering our prayers,” she said.

“I’ve told the boys, ‘God did answer our prayers. Even though Landon is not with us, he answered our prayers by protecting (his sister) and those other children from losing their lives. He wasn’t just looking out for (his sister) and Landon, he was looking out for all the Turnell children, too.’”

Landon’s siblings, Gray, and other family members are planning a small memorial service for Landon Wednesday.

Gray said Landon’s sister has been traumatized by the approximately four months she lived with the Turnells.

“We are giving her lots of love, and we’re listening to her. We hold her tight, and we let her know she’s a very pretty little girl, and how much we love her and that she’s still our little princess,” she said.

Landon’s sister, Gray says, is very withdrawn.

“You can tell she has been tremendously traumatized by all of this. She was unsure at first, the first couple of days, of all of us. She wasn’t sure how she was going to be treated. We knew that was to be expected. Her very first day back here, she never once let go of (her brothers). She held onto their hands,” she said.

Landon’s sister has told family members she and Landon wanted to run away from the Turnell home, but didn’t know where to go and were afraid for their lives, Gray said.

She said she blames authorities for not stepping in to end the abuse of the Turnell children before Landon and his sister moved in. “I do not understand why they didn’t, in the last 15 years, why they didn’t protect the Turnell children, let alone my grandchildren,” Gray said.

Now, the family is waiting as court cases for Sharon and Charles Turnell, Katie Payne and Dustin Scoville move through the system.

“I just wish the charges would be changed to murder instead of aiding and abetting because that’s what it truly is. If it would have been an adult who died, it would have been murder charges,” Gray said.

She said she looks forward to the when the cases are finished. “…Then all of us can start the process of healing and forgiving so God will forgive us of our sins. That’s what his word says, that we have to forgive others. I’m not at the point of forgiveness yet, but once this trial is over and they are sentenced, then I’ll be able to start on the road of forgiveness,” she said.

“I pray every day that God will give me the strength and the power to get through each and every day. There are times at night I can’t go to sleep because when I go to sleep I see what they were doing to little Landon. Landon didn’t deserve that,” Gray said through tears.

“He was too precious of a little boy. He loved life. He loved all of us. … We loved him with all of our heart.”

e-mail to:

betsy.friedrich@kearneyhub.com

Another DAD—in PRISON -- who had FULL CUSTODY-- Gave his children to HIS girlfriend’ & paternal family--Where one child was ABUSED to DEATH- young daughter survives—Mother sought to find them –Finds at morgue her child.

Related:VIDEO: Landon Payne candlelight vigil

Their father, Clint Payne, moved the children to South Dakota. He had full custody of both children.

When Clint moved the children, Gray said, her family had no idea where they went or what happened to them.

“We did not know (Clint’s) whereabouts until we got the call from the sheriff’s department telling us to call the HHS office. We called, and that’s when we found out about Landon’s death and that (his sister) was in protective custody,” Gray said, referring to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

“We didn’t have any contact with Clint after he moved. We had no way of getting in touch with him because we didn’t have a clue where he would have went.

Clint was in jail in South Dakota in August 2009. At first, his then-girlfriend cared for Landon and his sister.

http://www.kearneyhub.com/news/local/article_ba48b3e0-0d33-11e0-b93f-001cc4c03286.html

 

Waiting for Justice: Family would have found a way to get Landon Payne to Okla.

Hub GraphicIn a two-day series, Vicki Gray and Clinton Payne talk about alleged abuse victim Landon one year after his death.

Suspects in Landon Payne’s Death

Sharon Turnell, 37

Charges: Aiding and abetting child abuse that led to death.

Bond: Held in Phelps County Jail on 10 percent of $300,000, or $30,000.

Next court date: Kearney County District Court hearing Feb. 2.

Charles Turnell, 38

Charges: Aiding and abetting child abuse that led to death.

Bond: Held in Kearney County Jail on 10 percent of $300,000, or $30,000.

Next court date: Kearney County District Court hearing Feb. 2.

Katie Payne, 19

Charges: Being an accessory to a felony.

Bond: Free on personal recognizance bond.

Next court date: Pre-trial hearing Jan. 5.

Dustin Scoville, 23

Charges: Aiding and abetting child abuse that led to death, accessory to a felony.

Bond: Held in Buffalo County Jail on unrelated charges; bond in this case set at 10 percent of $1 million, or $100,000.

Next court date: Not scheduled.

Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 2:00 pm |Updated: 3:52 pm, Tue Dec 21, 2010.

By BETSY FRIEDRICH Hub Staff Writer |2 comments

PONCA CITY, Okla. — He loved Thomas the Train and “SpongeBob.” He and his grandma played “tickle monster,” and he and his big sister played house.

Landon Payne was like any other toddler when his grandmother, Vicki Gray, last saw him.

“He was very outgoing. He was the baby, the youngest and, yes, we all spoiled him,” she said. “His older brothers spoiled him a great deal. He just had such a big grin on his face all the time. There wasn’t ever a time you didn’t see a smile on his face. He didn’t know a stranger at all. Everybody loved him and thought he was such a cute little boy.”

Payne died Dec. 22, 2009, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney just a few days shy of his fifth birthday.

He allegedly was the victim of child abuse at the hands of his aunt, Sharon Turnell, 37, her husband, Charles Turnell, 38, her daughter, Katie Payne, 19, and Payne’s ex-husband, Dustin Scoville, 23. All four face charges in the case.

Gray of Ponca City, Okla., and Landon’s other family members are grieving and waiting for justice.

Gray said Landon was the youngest child of her daughter, Samantha Head of Cuba, Mo.

The other children are a 7-year-old sister and two half brothers ages 9 and 11. The sister lives with her aunt and uncle in Ponca City, and the boys live with Gray, their legal guardian.

Gray last saw Landon and his sister in June 2007, when their father, Clint Payne, moved the children to South Dakota. He had full custody of both children.

Head had lost custody because of neglect, Gray said.

When Clint moved the children, Gray said, her family had no idea where they went or what happened to them.

“We did not know (Clint’s) whereabouts until we got the call from the sheriff’s department telling us to call the HHS office. We called, and that’s when we found out about Landon’s death and that (his sister) was in protective custody,” Gray said, referring to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

“We didn’t have any contact with Clint after he moved. We had no way of getting in touch with him because we didn’t have a clue where he would have went.”

Clint was in jail in South Dakota in August 2009. At first, his then-girlfriend cared for Landon and his sister.

Then later that month, Sharon Turnell and Katie Payne traveled to South Dakota to pick up the children and bring Landon and his sister to live with them in Nebraska. In addition to Landon and his sister, the Turnells’ five children and one grandchild also lived in the home.

“I do wish that Clint would have contacted us when he got in trouble in South Dakota to come and pick the children up,” Gray said. “My son and daughter-in-law and myself would have found the money somehow, someway to go up there and get those children. I don’t know why he didn’t.”

While Landon and his sister were gone, Gray said, she and the children’s half brothers prayed for their siblings daily.

“We prayed for God to surround them with angels of protection, to protect them from wickedness and evilness. It was very hard for all of us, with our faith in God, not to blame him for not answering our prayers,” she said.

“I’ve told the boys, ‘God did answer our prayers. Even though Landon is not with us, he answered our prayers by protecting (his sister) and those other children from losing their lives. He wasn’t just looking out for (his sister) and Landon, he was looking out for all the Turnell children, too.’”

Landon’s siblings, Gray, and other family members are planning a small memorial service for Landon Wednesday.

Gray said Landon’s sister has been traumatized by the approximately four months she lived with the Turnells.

“We are giving her lots of love, and we’re listening to her. We hold her tight, and we let her know she’s a very pretty little girl, and how much we love her and that she’s still our little princess,” she said.

Landon’s sister, Gray says, is very withdrawn.

“You can tell she has been tremendously traumatized by all of this. She was unsure at first, the first couple of days, of all of us. She wasn’t sure how she was going to be treated. We knew that was to be expected. Her very first day back here, she never once let go of (her brothers). She held onto their hands,” she said.

Landon’s sister has told family members she and Landon wanted to run away from the Turnell home, but didn’t know where to go and were afraid for their lives, Gray said.

She said she blames authorities for not stepping in to end the abuse of the Turnell children before Landon and his sister moved in. “I do not understand why they didn’t, in the last 15 years, why they didn’t protect the Turnell children, let alone my grandchildren,” Gray said.

Now, the family is waiting as court cases for Sharon and Charles Turnell, Katie Payne and Dustin Scoville move through the system.

“I just wish the charges would be changed to murder instead of aiding and abetting because that’s what it truly is. If it would have been an adult who died, it would have been murder charges,” Gray said.

She said she looks forward to the when the cases are finished. “…Then all of us can start the process of healing and forgiving so God will forgive us of our sins. That’s what his word says, that we have to forgive others. I’m not at the point of forgiveness yet, but once this trial is over and they are sentenced, then I’ll be able to start on the road of forgiveness,” she said.

“I pray every day that God will give me the strength and the power to get through each and every day. There are times at night I can’t go to sleep because when I go to sleep I see what they were doing to little Landon. Landon didn’t deserve that,” Gray said through tears.

“He was too precious of a little boy. He loved life. He loved all of us. … We loved him with all of our heart.”

e-mail to:

betsy.friedrich@kearneyhub.com

Kids Inside House When MOTHER Was Killed By FATHER

http://www.ktxs.com/big_country_news/26206825/detail.html

Their two children were inside the house when their father shot and killed their mother on the driveway outside. He later shot himself after being confronted by law enforcement officials.

On Tuesday the Nolan County Sheriff investigating the murder-suicide told KTXS that James Elmer Rainey had a small criminal history, mainly due to alcohol incidents.

On Monday Rainey drove to his parents' house and shot his estranged wife, Amy Diane Rainey, there with their kids inside.

He then drove to his home in Trent and shot himself.

Autopsies were to be performed Tuesday in Odessa.

On Thursday, Amy Diane Rainey will be laid to rest.

The visitation will be at 10 a.m. with the funeral to follow at 11 a.m.

Both services will be at the McCoy Funeral Home, located at East 3rd Street in Sweetwater.

Custody Dispute Turns Deadly in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Lawyer making excuse for man who killed family.

There should not be a fight over "possession" of a human child. The mom needs to be able to leave with her child so no one gets killed.

http://www.houstondivorceblog.com/2010/12/custody-dispute-turns-deadly-in-apparent-murder-suicide/

Custody Dispute Turns Deadly in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Posted December 20, 2010

Fountain Valley police have identified the victims in an apparent murder-suicide case that seems to have stemmed from a bitter divorce battle. On Friday Randall Yancey shot and killed both his ex- wife Theresa Yancey and his 8 year old daughter before killing himself.

Officers responded to the scene when someone from inside the home called to report a family dispute. When the officers arrived the body of Theresa Yancey was found on the pavement in front of the house. Before officers could get inside they heard several more shots from inside the house. When they got inside the body of a 45 year old man and an 8 year old girl were found. Inside the bathroom there were two people hiding.

Family members reported that Mr. Yancey was waiting at his ex-wife’s mother’s home for her to return on Friday afternoon. When she arrived with their daughter and got out of the car he approached and began arguing with her. Family members got the girl inside and called 911. Mr. Yancey then shot Theresa and tried to force his way in the house. After kicking a hole in the door and being unable to enter he shot a hole into a window and entered that way.

The mother of Theresa Yancey and two minor relatives ran out of the home, while Theresa’s father and another relative hid in the bathroom while the man shot and killed his daughter and then himself.

Divorce is a stressful and often emotionally charged situation, when battles over child custody turn deadly it is too late to seek a peaceful solution and instead family members must then mourn the vital wonderful people who are now lost due to the built up frustration of a man who would rather have his family and himself be dead than continue the fighting.

A Word of Caution About Parental Alienation- Dr Richard Warsak

A Word of Caution About Parental Alienation

In Corrupt bastards, Domestic Violence, Dr Richard Warshak, DSM-V, Parental Alienation, Parental Alienation Disorder,Parental Alienation Disorders, Parental Alienation Syndrome on December 6, 2010 at 12:21 pm

Dr. Richard Warshak would not allow opposing comments in his first article on the Huffington Post, including information about all the professional organizations that have debunked the use of “parental alienation” in child custody cases.  This includes a warning from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges:

2009: A Judicial Guide to Child Safety in Custody Cases

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Family Violence Department

Page 12:

C. [§3.3] A Word of Caution about Parental Alienation34

Under relevant evidentiary standards, the court should not accept testimony regarding parental alienation syndrome, or “PAS.” The theory positing the existence of PAS has been discredited by the scientific community.35 In Kumho Tire v. Carmichael, 526 U.S. 137 (1999), the Supreme Court ruled that even expert testimony based in the “soft sciences” must meet the standard set in the Daubert case.36 Daubert, in which the court re-examined the standard it had earlier articulated in the Frye37 case, requires application of a multi-factor test, including peer review, publication, testability, rate of error, and general acceptance. PAS does not pass this test. Any testimony that a party to a custody case suffers from the syndrome or “parental alienation” should therefore be ruled inadmissible and stricken from the evaluation report under both the standard established in Daubert and the earlier Frye standard.38

The discredited “diagnosis” of PAS (or an allegation of “parental alienation”), quite apart from its scientific invalidity, inappropriately asks the court to assume that the child’s behaviors and attitudes toward the parent who claims to be “alienated” have no grounding in reality. It also diverts attention away from the behaviors of the abusive parent, who may have directly influenced the child’s responses by acting in violent, disrespectful, intimidating, humiliating, or discrediting ways toward the child or the other parent. The task for the court is to distinguish between situations in which the child is critical of one parent because they have been inappropriately manipulated by the other (taking care not to rely solely on subtle indications) , and situations in which the child has his or her own legitimate grounds for criticism or fear of a parent, which will likely be the case when that parent has perpetrated domestic violence. Those grounds do not become less legitimate because the abused parent shares them, and seeks to advocate for the child by voicing his or her concerns.

History of the Battered Mothers Custody Conference

The Eighth Annual Battered Mothers Custody Conference

http://www.batteredmotherscustodyconference.org/

Register Online

January 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2011
Friday evening 6:00 p.m. - Sunday afternoon

Source Barry Golstein Times Up

By Barry Goldstein

Only Mo Hannah could make a frigid Albany weekend in January of 2004 the place to be for several dozen protective moms, supportive professionals and activists who came for the first Battered Mothers Custody Conference. Many of the attendees had to leave their rooms in the middle of the night wearing robes and pajamas after fire alarms were triggered by frozen pipes, but at the conference there was a warmth and caring all of us badly needed.

Although I had been part of the domestic violence movement since 1983, I was new to the national movement as my book SCARED TO LEAVE AFRAID TO STAY had only come out in 2002. I was excited to meet and work with national celebrities like Lundy Bancroft, Joan Zorza and Richard Ducote and Garland Waller. Lundy has been to all eight conferences and is such an exciting speaker because he provides information that could be used to totally change the broken system. Joan has been one of the national leaders in the movement for over thirty years. I had corresponded with her prior to the first conference when she reviewed my book in Domestic Violence Report. I met her at the first conference and she quickly became a friend and mentor. Richard Ducote is a dynamic speaker who attended the first several conferences and led the Truth Commission. At the first conference, Garland Waller played her award- winning documentary, SMALL JUSTICE which was the first time I saw it. She has participated in all of the conferences and has also shown her documentary about Richard Gardner.

This was the first time a large group of protective moms came together, shared their stories and understood they were not alone. It helped everyone to understand the pattern of mistakes the courts were making. Surprisingly there were few representatives from the domestic violence movement and many mothers complained their local battered women's shelters had been less than helpful. Nevertheless the moms were excited by the support they gave each other and from the professionals who came to help their cause.

Dr. Mo Therese Hannah is a psychologist, but that didn't save her from a traumatic experience in the broken custody courts. She only barely escaped with custody of her children and recognized the courts badly need reforming. Mo networked with other protective moms and eventually created the Battered Mothers Conference with her co-chair Liliane H. Miller. Without the tremendous efforts of Mo there is no Battered Mothers Custody Conference and the protective mothers movement would have been greatly delayed.

The second Battered Mothers Custody Conference was particularly exciting because of the presence of my personal heroes, the Courageous Kids and parts of the conference were taped for the PBS Documentary BREAKING THE SILENCE: CHILDREN'S STORIES.

The Courageous Kids are young adults who as children were ensnared by the broken custody court system and forced to live with abusive fathers because of the common mistakes these courts routinely make. They came together under the auspices of the California Protective Parents Association led by Karen Anderson and Connie Valentine. These young men and women described the unspeakable torment they were subjected to by their abusers and the denial of a relationship with their safe, protective mothers. Their stories were powerful because they had a moral authority none of the rest of us could match. The courts, after all were supposed to be working to protect these children and instead were the instrument of their torture.

We were especially excited about BREAKING THE SILENCE: CHILDREN'S STORIES because it would create widespread national exposure to the crisis in the custody court system. I have long believed that if the public knew how often courts ruin children's lives and subject them to unspeakable trauma they would not permit it to continue. Unfortunately, the abuser groups also understood the documentary could undermine their ability to maintain what they believe is their privilege to control their partners and launched a vicious attack on what was a wonderful documentary. They attacked the film and the producers without even seeing it. We launched a campaign in support of BREAKING THE SILENCE, but PBS caved to the abuser's lobby, limited the showing of the documentary and basically disowned it. BREAKING THE SILENCE has been shown throughout the country at meetings and conferences, but the cowardice of PBS prevented it from being the breakthrough that could have saved more children.

The battered women's movement is a natural ally of the protective mothers movement. After our first conference Mo and I spoke about the importance of working with domestic violence organizations and we reached out to the New York State Coalition, the State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and other similar groups. As a result of these meetings and the ever more horrendous situation in the courts, domestic violence organizations have become our biggest supporters. Domestic violence advocates are now well represented at the Battered Mothers Custody Conference. Mo and I were invited to lead a workshop and then a separate discussion group at the 2008 NCADV national conference. Rita Smith, Executive Director of the NCADV and other staff have become regular participants at the Battered Mothers conferences and have given us everything we ever asked for. The NCADV invited Mo and I together with Garland Waller and Judge Mike Brigner to present about our book at a plenary session during the 2010 NCADV national conference in Anaheim. This has been a wonderful collaboration that will continue to benefit protective mothers and all of the battered women's movement.

As the movement strengthened, new presenters became regular participants. Searching for Angela Shelton is an award winning movie that created its own movement. When Angela speaks at the Battered Mothers Custody Conference, one minute we are crying the next laughing as she brings an intense emotional connection to the audience. Wendy Murphy is an attorney and former prosecutor whose book AND JUSTICE FOR SOME deeply resonates with protective mothers. Wendy brings a perspective about how women and victims are treated that is missed when we just hear the repeated misinformation in the media. Nancy Erickson was a law professor at New York Law School when I was a student, but we never met until she came to her first Battered Mothers Custody Conference. Since then Nancy has become a friend and colleague and is a contributor to our book and regular speaker at the conferences.

For the fourth annual conference, Mo had the idea of creating a Truth Commission made up of a multi-disciplinary group of leading experts in domestic violence and custody who would listen to the testimony of sixteen protective mothers and use this information together with their knowledge of domestic violence custody cases to make a report about the problems in the custody courts and potential solutions that could prevent the all too common tragedies discussed in the testimony and research.

We listened to the mothers' testimony in front of the conference and then met privately to discuss the issues and prepare the report. While there were a few minor disagreements most of the conclusions and recommendations were unanimous and the atmosphere for the discussions was collegial. The Truth Commission presented its report and discussed it at the conference in front of all the participants. The reaction was supportive and appreciative. We later exchanged drafts by email as we prepared the final written report that can be found on the Internet and in our book.

The Truth Commission Report created a lot of excitement when we released it because it not only exposed the extent of the problem but also provided realistic solutions. One of the people who was impressed by the report was a publisher at Civic Research Institute which produces quality research and other material by and for professionals. She asked Mo Hannah to prepare a book based on the Truth Commission Report and Mo invited me to co-edit the book with her. This became DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSE and CHILD CUSTODY which was published in April of 2010. Many of the experts who present at the Battered Mothers Custody Conference became contributors to the book. We are excited that the book will be available at the upcoming 8th annual conference January 7-9. We will be discussing how to use the research in the book to help win better results in court.

When a woman is living with an abusive partner, she is really living in a pretend world. He will repeatedly hurt her and then deny it or claim she caused him to hurt her. She can't challenge him because it is not safe. One of the important parts of healing once she can leave him is to return to reality and speak about the truth. That is another reason why the court system is so destructive as mothers are repeatedly punished for trying to speak about reality that the courts treat as undermining the children's relationship with the abuser. This dynamic was discussed in THE BATTERER AS PARENT which says one of the best things we can do to help the CHILDREN is to help the mother heal. Nevertheless the courts routinely do the opposite.

This is another reason why the Battered Mothers Custody Conference is so valuable. At least for that one weekend each year, we are among friends, we can speak the truth, the reality may not be pleasant but at least we can escape the pretend world of the courts and the abusers. It is important for protective mothers to know they are not alone. Other wonderful people are going through the same attacks and being pathologized by unqualified "experts."

More than once I have told a story at the Battered Mothers Custody Conference that inspired me to start writing my first book. Three young children complained that their father was physically and sexually abusing them. They told the judge, the CPS caseworker, their attorney and the evaluator what their father did to them. As frequently happens, these professionals whose job it was to protect children decided the mother had brainwashed the children and warned she would lose custody if she didn't stop. Before the first unsupervised visitation could occur, the father was confronted by the baby sitter in the presence of the law guardian. He admitted that he had kissed his daughters on their privates. The law guardian immediately made a motion to stop the visitation which I joined. The judge consulted with the evaluator who said the father showed poor judgment but there was no reason to stop the visitation. During the first visitation the four-year-old was penetrated for the first time. I made a new report to CPS when the judge refused to protect the children based on the father's admission. The judge yelled and screamed at me saying CPS had already investigated the charges. They assigned a new caseworker who did a thorough job this time and found out the father had done even worse than we alleged. They brought charges against the father and he never again had anything but supervised visitation.

After the mother won custody, she invited the new CPS caseworker and myself to a celebratory dinner to thank us for our work. The kids had gifts, but most of all they had a name for us. They called us "believers" because we believed them when all the other professionals failed to do so. I can tell you there is no greater honor than to be called a believer. The 2009 conference took place just days after my license was suspended in retaliation for exposing an abusive judge. I was not sure how I would be received or what my future was and suddenly Mo called me up to the stage and presented me with the Believer award.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the 2011 Battered Mothers Custody Conference in Albany January 7-9. For more information you can check our web site at www.Batteredmotherscustodyconference.org My friend, Ben Atherton-Zeman will be performing at the conference and has created believer bumper stickers. Please come to a place where protective mothers and their children are believed. I don't know what will happen in our work to reform the broken custody court system, but as for me, I'm a believer!

Barry Goldstein is a nationally recognized domestic violence expert, speaker, writer and consultant. He is the co-editor with Mo Therese Hannah of DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ABUSE and CHILD CUSTODY.

'You'll never see him again': Jilted father's chilling message to mother before he killed his son, 6, then committed suicide

'You'll never see him again': Jilted father's chilling message to mother before he killed his son, 6, then committed suicide

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 1:34 PM on 8th December 2010

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Little Chris Hall, six, was killed by his father in their family home in Dorset

A jilted father killed his six-year-old son and then himself after snatching the boy from his ex-partner and chillingly telling her: ‘You’ll never see him again.’

Chris Hall, 52, had feared he was about to lose his son, also called Chris, in a custody battle after former common-law wife Rachel Wild left him and started a relationship with another man, an inquest heard.

Miss Wild told how her former partner 'lost it' when he spotted her new lover in her car the last time she dropped her son off at Hall's house.

The keen body-builder dragged the youngster from her and told her: ‘I will take him to a place where you will never see him again.’

She never saw her son alive again.

Two days later the 35-year-old received a note from her ex telling her to come to the former family home.

She rushed to the £300,000 property and let herself in but then left after a few minutes because it felt ‘eerily quiet’.

She called the police and officers arrived and discovered the father and son - known as Big Chris and Little Chris - dead in bed, lying side by side.

Mr Hall, a handyman, had given her diabetic son a fatal mixture of insulin, morphine, and sleeping pills before overdosing on painkillers.

The inquest heard Mr Hall, a former gravedigger and postman, and Miss Wild had lived happily with their son in Poole, for several years.

But in May this year she walked out on him and began a relationship with another man, Christian Bryant.

At about the same time Mr Hall’s business began to fail and a cafe the couple co-owned hit financial problems.

Little Chris was living with his father ahead of a custody court case. On August 16, Miss Wild had access with him before dropping him off at home.

She said: ‘I was in the back seat of the car with Little Chris.

‘He didn’t want to go back and when we got round the corner we noticed Chris leaning against the wall.

Calculating: Chris Hall, 52, 'lost it' when he spotted Rachel Wild's new lover when she dropped off their son

‘I told Christian to pull over on the other side of the road.

‘Chris stormed over, opened Little Chris’ door and dragged him out at started shouting abuse.

‘It was aimed at me in anger. He said ‘you’ve been sleeping with this man, you’ve been sleeping with him in front of Little Chris.’ ‘His face was just anger. I knew then that I wasn’t going back, (to him). I think he had lost it.

‘He said ‘basically, you’ll never see Little Chris again, I will make sure of it.’ He said: ‘I will take him to a place where you will never see him again.’ ‘In thought he meant was going to take him to his brother Duncan’s.

‘Christian was crying because it was very hurtful and loud and I was just basically shocked and upset.

‘I felt like I wanted to go back and get Little Chris but you have got to do things by the law. I had to write down everything that Chris said to me.’

Two days later a letter arrived from Chris at the cafe she ran with her brother. He opened it and showed it to his sister.

The contents of the letter were not disclosed at the hearing but they were instructions for Miss Wild to go to the three bed house in Queens Road straight away.
She said: ‘The door was left unlocked.

‘The dogs were quiet and happy to see me and were licking my face, I knew then that something was wrong. I opened the kitchen door and popped my head in.

‘I thought the dogs were acting like someone was in the house because it was odd behaviour. I thought maybe Chris was upstairs with Little Chris and saying ‘ssshhh, we don’t want mummy to find us.

‘It felt eerie and I didn’t like it.’

She called the police when neighbours told her that they had not seen the father and son for a while.

The Bournemouth inquest heard that Mr Hall had suffered from depression in the past and had slit his wrists on three occasions.

Mr Hall, whose brother is the famous London-based clothes designer Nigel Hall, had met Miss Wild while she worked as a check-out girl at an Asda supermarket.

Little Chris attended Courthill First School in Poole and was a big fan of the cartoon character Ben 10.

The inquest continues.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1336496/Chris-Hall-kills-son-6-custody-battle-Rachel-Wild.html#ixzz17bPBfznv

EDWARDSVILLE - A Godfrey man who fatally shot his mother and himself

Details of murder-suicide emerge at inquest

Comments 0

December 08, 2010 8:18 PM

By SANFORD J. SCHMIDT

The Telegraph

EDWARDSVILLE - A Godfrey man who fatally shot his mother and himself was in financial trouble and had taken out a number of loans against the house that his mother owned, a Madison County coroner's jury was told Wednesday.
"He was about $200,000 in debt. The banks had contacted him, and he told them he was making every effort to pay the money back," Detective Mike Keshner of the Madison County Sheriff's Department said at an inquest Wednesday.
The deputy testified at an inquest into the deaths of Marion E. Yancey, 92, and Robert M. Yancey, 62, both of 903 Robert Drive, Godfrey. Their bodies were found last Sept. 14.
The jury ruled the mother's death a homicide and the son's death a suicide.
The bodies were discovered after an agent went to the home to repossess a car. The agent did not receive an answer but noticed a back-door glass pane broken and called deputies.
The broken pane apparently was a coincidence, but deputies decided to enter the home to check on the welfare of the residents.
They discovered Robert Yancey's body on the floor of the garage with a black handgun beside it. He had died from a contact gunshot wound to the head.
Marion Yancey was in bed in a position as if she was asleep. She had a single gunshot wound to the head.
Both bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition. They had been dead about six days, authorities estimate.
sanfordschmidt@yahoo.com

(NC) Person County Husband beats then kills wife then self investigating couple's murder-suicide

ROXBORO, N.C. — Person County sheriff's officials were investigating a murder-suicide Wednesday involving a husband and wife.

Evonne Coleman, 56, of Dirgie Mine Road in Roxboro, called authorities at 2:22 p.m. to say that her husband, William Coleman Sr., had assaulted her, according to Sheriff Dewey Jones.

The woman said her husband did not have any weapons, and the dispatcher was unable to get any more information from her.

Once deputies got to the scene, they found Evonne Coleman dead on the porch, Jones said. Her husband was sitting in a chair on the porch with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He had a .45 caliber gun in his hand and was unconscious but still breathing, Jones said.

William Coleman Sr. was flown to Duke University Hospital, where he died, according to Jones.

http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/8748186/

Dr. Richard Gardner's Complete Autopsy Report- Parental Alienation Syndrome

 

Suicide http://www.cincinnatipas.com/dr-richardgardnerautopsy.html

 

Dr. Richard Gardner's Complete Autopsy Report

 

Dr. Richard Gardner, M.D.
born April 28, 1931

Committed Suicide
May 25, 2003

"CAUSE OF DEATH:

Incised wounds of chest and neck."

Allow us to disabuse the pro-abusers. Dr. Richard Gardner's son told the New York Times that his father committed suicide. Contrary to false assertions made by the father's rights movement, Richard Gardner most certainly did not die peacefully in his sleep.

It was far uglier than that.

The Bergen County (New Jersey) Medical Examiner reported that Dr. Richard Gardner died a gory, bloody and violent death - from his own hand. Gardner took an overdose of prescription medication while stabbing himself several times in the neck and chest. Gardner plunged a butcher knife deep into his heart.

The medical examiner removed the knife from Gardner's chest and listed the stabbing wounds as the cause of death.

(Here is Gardner's autopsy report and the NY Times obituary.)

County Of Bergen
Department of Public Safety
Medical Examiner Autopsy Report

May 27, 2003

02030860.aut
GARDNER, Richard A.

¬Ý

New York Times

June 9, 2003, Monday

METROPOLITAN DESK

Richard Gardner, 72, Dies;
Cast Doubt on Abuse Claims

By STUART LAVIETES

"Dr. Richard A. Gardner, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who developed a theory about parental alienation syndrome, which he said could lead children in high-conflict custody cases to falsely accuse a parent of abuse, died on May 25 at his home in Tenafly, N.J. He was 72.

The cause was suicide, said Dr. Gardner's son, Andrew, who said his father had been distraught over the advancing symptoms of reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a painful neurological syndrome.

Dr. Gardner, who testified in more than 400 child custody cases, maintained that children who suffered from parental alienation syndrome had been indoctrinated by a vindictive parent and obsessively denigrated the other parent without cause.

In severe cases, he recommended that courts remove children from the homes of the alienating parents and place them in the custody of the parents accused of abuse.

His theory has provoked vehement opposition from some mental health professionals, child abuse experts and lawyers. Critics argue that it lacks a scientific basis, noting that the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association have not recognized it as a syndrome.

They also say that the theory is biased against women, as allegations of abuse are usually directed at fathers, and that it is used as a weapon by lawyers seeking to undermine a mother's credibility in court." ...

... "His marriage to Lee Gardner ended in divorce. In addition to his son, of Cherry Hill, N.J., he is survived by two daughters, Nancy Gardner Rubin of Potomac, Md., and Julie Gardner Mandelcorn, of Newton, Mass.; his mother, Amelia Gardner of Manhattan; eight grandchildren; and his partner, Natalie Weiss.

Correction: June 14, 2003, Saturday An obituary on Monday about Dr. Richard A. Gardner, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, misstated his position at Columbia University. He was a clinical professor of psychiatry in the division of child and adolescent psychiatry -- an unpaid volunteer -- not a professor of child psychiatry."

End of Obituary Excerpt

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A comment about Dr. Richard Gardner's suicide released by the last man to cross examine him, attorney Richard Ducote:

¬Ý¬ÝJune 1, 2003

"Parental Alienation Syndrome is a bogus, pro-pedophillic fraud concocted by Richard Gardner. I was the last attorney to cross examine Gardner. In Paterson, NJ, he admitted that he has not spoken to the Dean of Columbia's medical school for over 15 years, and has not had hospital admitting privileges for over 25 years.

He has not been court appointed to do anything for decades.

The only two appellate courts in the country who have considered the question of whether PAS meets the Frye test, i.e., whether it is generally accepted in the scientific community, said it does not. As Dr. Paul Fink, former president of the American Psychiatric Association has stated, Dr. Gardner and PAS should be only a "pathetic footnote" in psychiatric history. Gardner and his bogus theory have done untold damage to sexually and physically abused children and their protective parents. PAS has been rejected by every reputable organization considering it.

In a Florida case in which I was recently involved, when the judge insisted on a Frye hearing, Gardner simply did not show up. Perhaps because he finally realized that the entire nation was on to his scam, he committed suicide on May 25. Let's pray that his ridiculous, dangerous PAS foolishness died with him."

Richard Ducote
attorney at law
New Orleans, LA

Dr. Richard Gardner, seen here at age 67 in February 1999, authored the money making PAS theory that made him a very rich man. Gardner committed suicide on May 25, 2003, plunging a seven inch butcher knife into his neck and heart. Gardner testified mostly for men, charging $500 per hour, routinely recommending custody to abusers, deprogramming children and threat therapy for mothers. Gardner was against society's overly moralistic and punitive reaction to pedophiles.

To get a better understanding of the damage Dr. Richard Gardner did in his lifetime, go to this link:

Dr. Richard Gardner - Parental Alienation Syndrome

Part 2: Questions for Richard Warshak and His Parental Alienation Syndrome...or Divorce Poison...or Whatever

Source: The New Randi James

http://www.randijames.com/2010/12/part-2-questions-for-richard-warshak.html

Dear Dr. Warshak,

I have been accused of parental alienation because my adolescent child won't visit his father, my ex husband. If my son's father is an alcoholic and chronic cheater that is into child porn, and my son knows about at least 2 out of 3 of what I mentioned, how do you suggest that I promote the relationship between father and son in order to remove the parental alienation label? I mean seriously, it's not my fault that my ex is a sick fucking asshole. I just don't want it to rub off on my our son (<--see, I'm trying!).

Kansas Watch Dog: "Claudine Dombrowski: An abused mom victimized again by the Kansas Courts"

 

Compelling stories from parents and grandparents about problems with placement and removal of children

By Earl Glynn On December 4, 2009

See this video: Claudine Dombrowski Abused Mom Wants Unsupervised Visits with Daughter

Listen to Claudine Dombrowski Testimony to Joint Committee on Children's Issues:

Powered by Podbean.com

 

http://kansas.watchdog.org/2010/compelling-stories-about-problems-with-placement-and-removal-of-children/

Claudine Dombrowski

 

Claudine Dombrowski: An abused mom victimized again by the Kansas Courts

Read details in written statement.

This is an truly incredible story that should never have happened in America.

Parts of the Kansas Judicial system should be disciplined for how it has victimized Ms. Dombrowski, who was an abused mom.

Instead of quotes from the audio, please consult these pages that document Dombrowski’s long and difficult battle to protect her daughter:

• Claudine Dombrowski Photos of Abuse

As you view these photos keep in mind that the court awarded FULL CUSTODY of their daughter to the “man” who did this to Claudine.

• Courts Have Continued Abuse of Manhattan Women, Manhattan Free Press, July 12, 2001.
• Manhattan resident fights custody battle for daughter, Kansas State Collegian, July 26, 2001.

State Rep Bill Otto: “No crime? You haven’t been guilty of anything? This is a court order that says you can’t go to any school functions?”

“I was under court order till 2004 to not even call the police after I was being beaten because … I was not ‘co-parenting’”

Dombrowski: “These friends of the court make recommendations to the judge. The parents … don’t have a right to see these documents. They do this behind closed doors.”

Otto: (To Secretary Jordan): “You have no rights as a parent …?”

Secretary Don Jordan: “This would be something extreme … I’m not familiar with the situation.”

Otto: “Can a judge do that? … Is that legal… ?”

Jordan: “Under the right circumstances … I hesitate to speculate.”

Sen. Roger Reitz: “This is something that only … the judicial system can really answer … It would be helpful … to have someone … representing the judicial system … to give us some ideas how this could happen.”

Dombrowski: “When you are a victim of domestic violence, and suddenly there’s a child involved, the typical …. power of control is that ‘I’ll take your children from you’. They will and they can the way the laws are setup.” …

“I was told that I’m not to talk to my daughter about the violence. That’s why I don’t see her. That’s why I see her supervised. He was criminally convicted. “

“When women try to get away from people who hurt them … I heard somebody say it’s really hard to believe you won’t call the police … I tell people not to contact the police, because as soon as you walk into court with a DV (domestic violence) and children, you’re already cutting your throat. You will lose your children. That’s the way it is right now.”

“… on the 16th of this month I’ll probably go to jail for breaking the gag order and talking about [being the victim of] violence as it relates to my case.”

Reitz: “… someone ought to be able to deal with this in a way that would address her problem. It doesn’t seem like we’ve done the right thing with regards to this little niche of the law.”

Dombrowski: “The criminal convictions are completely tossed aside and they don’t have any bearing on the family court … The eight criminal convictions that my ex had before getting custody of my daughter were completely dropped [in family court]“

Chair Kiegerl: “I cannot believe that abuse is totally ignored. I cannot believe you can prohibit a person from speaking about their own case.”

“The one thing [where] … I disagree with you is abuse should always be reported.”

State Rep Peggy Mast (R-Emporia): “Domestic violence is a control issue. Sexual abuse is a control issue. Is there any correlation between domestic violence and sexual abuse? Why is that not something that is considered when we take someone to [family] court that has a history of domestic violence?”

Dombrowski: “Yes. That is something I’ve asked myself for 16 years. … It comes back to the family court that has a veil of immunity. … They don’t fully understand the impact of the violence. What battered women have … if they report the abuse, then they’re failing to protect their child … if they don’t report the abuse, they’re still failing to protect their child. So, both ways, they’re going to lose their children …”

For anybody who abuses their wife … [from] a 1996 presidential task force … there is a 70% increase that those children will be abused and/or sexually abused after there’s been battery with the mother.

Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudea: “In 2004 …. I talked with the homicide department in Sedgwick County…. During that time there had been 21 homicides in Sedgwick County and 18 were due to domestic violence …”

“A lot of women do make those phone calls and unfortunately, sometimes it ends in their death.” …

“I want to apologize to you for being treated like a pedophile … not being able to go to a music concert.”

“I commend you for what you’re doing.”

Dombrowski: “I have not talked to my daughter in 10 years [except] for the confines of supervised visits. I’m not allowed to talk to her about anything. All she knows is what her dad has told her.”

See this video:  Abused Mom Wants Unsupervised Visits with Daughter

Listen to Claudine Dombrowski:

http://kansaswatchdog.podbean.com/2009/12/04/claudine-dombrowski-an-abused-mom-victimized-again-by-the-kansas-courts/