The Kansas City council is also considering requests to make the city a safe haven for trans Missourians seeking care. Their 13-month-old son, AmenRa, was taken on Feb 26. after the couple took him to Johns Hopkins All Childrens Hospital in St. Petersburg for dehydration due to the childs struggle to transition from breast milk to solid foods. Black Men XCEL The actions of these two officers are not a reflection of the Department as a whole," he continued. kw: 'mandc,kim-kardashian,syeesha-mercado', The vote comes as the Florida legislature has also recently passed two otheranti-LGTBQ bills one targeting LGBTQ friendly businesses and one prohibiting gender-inclusive bathrooms. Entrepreneurs Summit div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', According to the ABC I-Team investigation: pos: 'right_rail_3', 'Momfluencer' who went viral with tale of Latino couple 'trying to snatch her kids' is found guilty of fake kidnapping claim and faces up to six months in jail - as accused say 'justice was served' All Rights Reserved. Violent shaking would be one possibility, she said. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', "I would say free states don't ban health care,"Berman said. Their pediatrician reassured them their son had a traumatic birth and sensitive skin, but was otherwise healthy. Following the nurses suspicion, mom and dad were investigated by police. This doctor too hastily diagnoses child abuse, ripping apartment families, the petition states. Masthead. The umbilical cord was wrapped around the babys neck, forcing doctors to break the babys clavicle during delivery to get her out, the complaint states. This is fascist.". The other parents that Katie interviewed had similar stories: I cant even describe the pain that we experienced as a family, explained Judy Miller, who said, she and other family members were also unjustly disqualified from taking care of a baby relative who was also removed from her family. I cant even answer my own phone right now, I need an assistant screening my calls, she said in regards to the volume of calls shes been getting from families sharing similar stories. Ofila and Otano were each charged with armed kidnapping, which could bring a penalty of life in prison, and one count of battery. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', Tara Brown, 39, underwent three grueling rounds of in vitro fertilization to conceive twins with her physician husband. Truthout relies on reader donations to maintain this sanctuary for honest, justice-driven journalism. This bill is wrong on the way it attacks transgender adults, wrong on the way it attacks parents rights to raise their children, and wrong on how it puts medical professionals at risk.. Their daughters half-sister was also removed from their biological family because DCF, against committee recommendations according to the complaint, placed the young girl with a non-relative, foster-system connected person after the babys mother lost her parental rights. We still got work to get Rah back. Twenty-nine anti-trans bills have already become law this year -- more than twice as many as in all of 2022. It has been quite a harrowing week for former American Idol contestant Syesha Mercado who was battling against . and FREE CONSULTATION. CPS took black woman's son away because of B12 shot, she have not seen her son for weeks. cat: 'news', !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); targeting: { Brian Shilhavy then went on to report on how the state has been doing this and doctors even making up accusations against parents. Registry of Corporate Directors. American Idol alum Syesha Mercado, the third-place runner-up of Season 7 fame, has taken to social media for help in reuniting with her 15-month-old son Amen'Ra after he was "legally kidnapped" by the system. Elina went into labor on a scorching day in July. env: 'prod', Almost As Much As The National Debt. }); !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); cnx.cmd.push(function() { Brown is also a former insider who worked as an attorney for DCF and other agencies representing Floridas foster care system. The bills include vague "age-appropriate" guidelines that will likely stifle any discussion of gender issues even more. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', In fact, he noted the baby has a form of brittle bone disease that made her bruise easily. Mom had also been to the ER a few times over different issues with her daughter, including a respiratory infection. The video clip shows a couple of police officers approaching the vehicle Mercado was riding in with her family. by Brian Shilhavy pos: 'right_rail_3', }); EVENTS The Florida House of Representatives has approved a bill that would allow state courts to intervene in custody disputes and remove transgender children who are receiving gender-affirming care from supportive families with whom they live. In July, I reported on a lawsuit against DeSantis and the State of Florida for medical kidnapping of children from several families. Ron DeSantis and leaders of Floridas Department of Children and Families (DCF) along with several other state foster care organizations. Escape from the Mayo Clinic: Teen accuses world-famous hospital of 'medical kidnapping'. Gainesville, Florida, attorney Jeff Childers has been so alarmed by the cases he's seen, he posted a tutorial online with tips on how to navigate the legalities surrounding hospitalization with COVID-19. Kamiyah Mobley wrote a letter to Duval . Medical Kidnapping in the U.S. - Kidnapping Children for Drug Trials The U.S. Foster Care System: Modern Day Slavery and Child Trafficking Child Kidnapping and Trafficking: A Lucrative U.S. Business Funded by Taxpayers From Child Protection to State-sponsored Child Kidnapping: How Did we Get Here? We need journalists who can hold those in power accountable, shine a light on injustices, and give voice to the voiceless. Find lawyers that will accept CONTINGENCY FEE. BE 100s Jesus Christ is the Only Transhuman the World Has Ever Seen or Will Ever See, An Invitation to the Technologists to Join the Winning Side, Synagogue of Satan: Why Its Time to Leave the Corporate Christian Church, How to Determine if you are a Disciple of Jesus Christ or Not. Amid Attacks From Right, Racial Justice Curricula Gain Momentum in Blue States, Ralph Yarl Deserves Justice Beyond What the Criminal Legal System Can Offer, Floridas Ron DeSantis Is Just a Step Behind Hungarys Fascist Viktor Orbn, NYPDs Autism Awareness Squad Car Is Nothing But a Publicity Stunt, LGBTQ and Immigrant Rights Groups Issue Travel Advisories for Florida, Florida GOP Introduces 3 New Bills to Expand DeSantiss Dont Say Gay Policies, Trans Missourians Are Losing Access to Gender-Affirming Care Due to New AG Rules, Montana Gov. page_type: 'article', tag: 'mandc,kim-kardashian,syeesha-mercado', cnx({ As American Idol alumna Syesha Mercado fights to regain custody of her son, a petition has started to get Florida physician Dr. Sally Smith fired for her role in wrongfully accusing dozens of parents of abuse. url: 'the,power,of,kim,k,syesha,mercado,got,her,baby,back,after,medical,kidnapping', As the head of the Pinellas County child protection team, Smith examines virtually every child funneled to All Children's Hospital with suspicious injuries. According to Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Hialeah city officers Rafael Otano and Lorenzo Ofila, who have since been fired, were responding to a disturbance at a bakery shortly after 5 p.m. on Dec. 17, when they encountered 50-year-old Jose Ortega Gutierrez, a homeless man who often roamed the area and was familiar to the officers. Black Enterprise is a black-owned multimedia company. It is a result of overzealous enforcement of the child protection laws in states all over the U.S. including Michigan. It broke us, it changed us and its always going to be a part of us missing until she comes home, said an emotional Williams. Article posted with permission from Sons of Liberty Media, function onCaptchaFormSubmit(token) { Take her license away. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. John Stewart, a Marine Corps veteran, spent 300 days in jail on Smiths allegation that he killed his girlfriends son by throwing him repeatedly against a soft surface. Florida Legislature accused of 'kidnapping' trans kids after defiant protest: 'We are officially there' Florida lawmakers have been accused of kidnapping trans children after a defiant protest against anti-trans laws in the House of Representatives. targeting: { The obstetrician advised her to report to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. by Brian Shilhavy div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', Unfortunately, "medical kidnapping," as it sometimes called, and child seizures, are a lot more common than people think; simply due to events like the one previously noted, or over a disagreements with family doctors and pediatricians. When the state has the power to decide who is a good parent and who is not, who gets to define what a good parent is? tude.cmd.push(function() { Mercado and her partner Tyron Deneer claim the children were "legally kidnapped" after a visit to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. Their son, AmenRa, was treated by Dr. Sally Smith, a pediatrician who was thesubjectofTorn Apart, an investigation where USA Today Network found the doctor had a history of diagnosing child abuse too quickly. See: Health Impact News has learned that Gov. subcat: '', This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The babys birth also resulted in bruising, noted by the familys pediatrician, court records show. Barring an injunction, Missouri AG Andrew Bailey's regulations on gender-affirming care will go into effect on Thursday. Aug 12, 2021 at 10:40 PM. Police officer who did not show up for work found shot to death in his house along with his newlywed wife, Jonathan Majors Former Girlfriend Granted Full Temporary Order of Protection, Historic Gees Bend Quilters Acknowledged By Alabama Senate, Fugitive Friday: 24-year-old man wanted for trespassing while armed, A man is behind bars after being accused of killing his neighbor nearly a year ago, Youre not crazy; your McDonalds hamburger does taste better, Wells Fargo Teams With BIPOC Investment Groups For Initiative To Create Racially Equitable, Affordable Housing, Heres 5 Things You Should Know About Top Chef Alum Kwame Onwuachi. And so we are asking them to do that to sign up as CPIs, DeSantis said. All rights reserved. {"timed-popup-delay":5,"cookie-duration":-1,"popup-selector":"#popup-box-sxzw-1","popup-class":"popupally-opened-sxzw-1","cookie-name":"popupally-cookie-1","close-trigger":".popup-click-close-trigger-1"}. } SB 254 would circumvent this lawsuit bylegislating the gender-affirminghealth care ban for trans youth into law. November 10, 2019 Episode 6 - Is There an Arizona and Mormon Connection to Child Trafficking in Arkansas and Senator Linda Collins-Smith's Murder? Her family members are now suing Smith and All Childrens Hospital for what they said were trumped-up claims. In March, the Florida Board of Medicine enacted a rule that banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth who had not yet started puberty blockers or hormone therapy, making it the eighth state to restrict gender-affirming care for trans youth. Subscribe to Newsletter BE 100s Please check your email inbox or spam folder for our confirmation email. Medical kidnapping is what occurs when a child is forcibly separated from her parents because the parent refused dangerous or risky medical treatments for the child. "There's been a horrible miscarriage of justice," Michael Pizzi, Otano's attorney, told ABC affiliate WPLG. The call came in on January 20 around 4:55 p.m. DeStefano had just pulled up outside the dance studio in Scottsdale, near Phoenix. You can be guilty of abduction if you decide to move your child . Their attorney, Derrick McBurrows, said CPS accused Mercado of not taking her son to a medical visit prior to bringing him to Johns Hopkins. In a jaw-dropping moment caught on video, an 18-year-old high school senior rushes to escape from the . With a small village of family members surrounding them, Taniyah and Rodney Williams shared, what they say, no loving parent should ever have to. targeting: { (Source.). 125K. According to the 106-page complaint, the babys pediatrician never suspected abuse. Get daily news, in-depth reporting and critical analysis from the journalists, activists and thinkers who are working to improve our world.. We're almost out of time to raise the $5,000 we need for groundbreaking reporting the kind that challenges the forces that prop up capitalism, white supremacy, imperialism, nationalism, and all oppressive structures. I dont know anything about her. Medical kidnapping or saving? But I had a feeling she [Smith] just signed off everybody as child abuse. (Full Story here.). Contact Vadim and Elina Kushnir celebrated the first birthday of their son William in July. On her way out, Smith turned to them. Hialeah Police Chief George Fuente added: "Let these arrests send a clear message to everyone who wears a badge, that swears to uphold the oath, that we will not accept anything less than an unblemished integrity from those that entrust us to serve and protect.". Where is the medical licensing board? } cat: 'news', tag: 'mandc,kim-kardashian,syeesha-mercado', Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS If you know people who are skeptical and cannot believe that medical kidnappinghappens in the U.S. today, this is the book for them! "This bill is wrong on the way it attacks transgender adults, wrong on the way it attacks parents' rights to raise their children, and wrong on how it puts medical professionals at risk.". } Als u niet wilt dat wij en onze partners cookies en persoonsgegevens voor deze aanvullende doeleinden gebruiken, klik dan op 'Alles weigeren'. We respect your email privacy But because of yall and my family weve had the proper support to get the best attorneys in the country to be able to bring justice, Deener said. Here is the video with some of the family members she interviewed. In March, the Florida Board of Medicine enacted a rule that banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth who had not yet started puberty blockers or hormone therapy, making it the eighth. Medical Kidnapping, Fraud and Homicide are not included in the total immunity from legal liability agreement under the PREP Act for the . She was accused of inflicting countless fractures on her 6-week-old infants, but the charges were expunged after another doctor diagnosed them with a rare bone disorder. For the Williams family, it all started in 2017 when their infant daughter showed signs of leg pain. It Has an Anti-War History Too. Of course they wanted her, said DaCosta. Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. The USA Today Network reportedly investigated hundreds of Dr. Smiths cases, and: found more than a dozen instances where charges were dropped, parents were acquitted or caregivers had credible claims of innocence yet suffered irredeemable damage to their lives and reputations. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', Little Noah caught in legal fight over how to treat his leukemia 1 May 3, 2019 TAMPA When their son Noah was diagnosed with cancer recently, Joshua McAdams and Taylor Bland-Ball wanted to avoid chemotherapy and try natural remedies, instead. The Kushnirs had never heard of Smith. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Study: Children from Poor Parents, Even if they have a Drug Problem, do Worse if Put into Foster Care Last week, Katie LaGrone with WPTV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach reported on a lawsuit with multiple families suing Gov. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; The prosecution is looking at this case from the outside in when they should be looking at it from the inside out, Gootnick said. }); However, instead of AmenRa being released back to his parents, Dr. Smith had their son taken by CPS, Scary Mommy reported. Although Ra is still not with Syesha and her partner, Tyron Deener, on Friday he posted a heartfelt message on Instagram to report that 10-day-old Ast has finally been given back to their family, thanks to the media attention, celebrity voices, and high-powered attorneys who took up the case. Florida is rapidly becoming the go-to State for people fleeing the rapidly decaying mega urban centers in the U.S., and that includes some of the richest and most famous billionaires who have recently moved their residency to Florida, such as former President Donald Trump and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, among others. Updated: Aug. 16, 5:45 p.m. | Posted: Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m. Mayo Clinic on Wednesday slammed a CNN report alleging the health system "medically kidnapped" a teen patient who suffered a potentially . . page_type: 'article', Florida Sen. Lori Berman (D) condemned Republican attacks on bodily autonomy and trans health care in a comment before the chamber voted to pass the legislation. cnx.cmd.push(function() { Ill bet you find that shes a witch. The young parents were eventually stripped of their parental rights. url: 'the,power,of,kim,k,syesha,mercado,got,her,baby,back,after,medical,kidnapping', targeting: { Parents would be charged with felonies [and] thrown in prison. Child abuse pediatrician Dr. Sally Smith accused them of egregiously abusing their son when he was 6 weeks old. While the most recent language of SB 254 no longer includes the horrific provision that would have allowed Florida courts to modify out-of-state custody agreements, allowing unsupportive parents to move their children to Florida to prevent them from accessing gender-affirming health care, it still includes the trans kidnapping provision that would give courts emergency jurisdiction to remove trans children from their families because they are receiving gender-affirming care. Yet, she still breathes. "We will not allow rogue police officers to abuse their powers and to betray the public that they serve," Rundle said. She ordered William and Adele returned to their parents immediately. Under Florida law, both parents have equal parenting rights unless those rights have been modified or terminated by a court (e.g., in the event of divorce). divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', However, due to the laws in Florida, children under 18 are required to undergo the full recommended treatment plan of the pediatric oncologist, which is typically 2-4 years, regardless of the progress or desire for . tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Contact They can be found on Twitter: @zane_crittheory. } the 61-year-old pediatrician [who] is one of the most powerful figures in the child welfare system along Florida's Gulf Coast. Doctors claimed she refused a B12 shot for her son but she . The police officers made them pull over, and two of the deputies gave them a court order to turn over the newborn infant for a checkup at the hospital. Are New Pediatric Child Abuse Specialists Causing an Increase in Medical Kidnappings? See: Last week, Katie LaGrone with WPTV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach reported on a lawsuit with multiple families suing Gov. Now: $19.99 (for 2 books) See: As we have documented numerous times over the past many years, putting children into the nations child trafficking network called foster care has disastrous and deadly results, as many of these children are raped and sexually abused in foster care, and nationwide studies have shown that children who are left with their biological families,even in troubled homes, fare much better than children forced to be separated from their families and put into the foster care system. This problem of state-sponsored child kidnapping and trafficking, is systemic in Florida, and NOT rare. While the most recent language of SB 254no longer includesthe horrific provision that would have allowed Florida courts to modify out-of-state custody agreements, allowing unsupportive parents to move their children to Florida to prevent them from accessing gender-affirming health care, it still includes the"trans kidnapping" provisionthat would give courts emergency jurisdiction to remove trans children from their families because they are receiving gender-affirming care. See: While most parents would probably agree that taking children to these drag shows is not appropriate, neither is the State threatening to take children away from their parents, when neither the parents nor the children are requesting it, appropriate either. Still, DCF filed a petition to remove the baby and her brother from their parents. page_type: 'article', tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Some other accusations that Smith made, according to USA Today Network: window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; kw: 'mandc,dr-sally-smith,syesha-mercado', California radiologist Dr. Susan Gootnick argued that Williams hemorrhages were re-bleeds from birth trauma, not from shaking. And this is the man they are positioning to ask for your vote to go to the White House! In extreme circumstances, legal experts say this may even involve the state taking physical custody of a child.. The couple's nightmare began in. An internal investigation into the incident soon commenced. The next day, Dr. Sally Smith came to examine him. Are you already a subscriber? Less than a week after Kardashians post, Mercado had her baby returned. Ast is back. SistersInc. Since our initial story aired, Villalobos said her phone hasnt stopped ringing. Authorities eventually found them and the child is being treated, but supporters of the couple are accusing authorities of "medical kidnapping." div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', Any health care practitioner who provides trans kids with gender-affirming care would be guilty of a felony under the legislation. As the head of the Pinellas County child protection team, Smith examines virtually every child funneled to All Childrens Hospital with suspicious injuries. Has Florida Become Top US State For Medical Kidnapping & Child Trafficking? In March, the Florida Board of Medicineenacted a rulethat banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth who had not yet started puberty blockers or hormone therapy, making it theeighth stateto restrict gender-affirming care for trans youth. (Source. The bill would allow courts to intervene in custody disputes and remove trans children from gender-affirming parents. Instead, she took photos of every part of Williams body, including his genitals and a bruise on his hand from the IV. People said it happened to me, attorney Valentina Villalobos with Community Law for Families & Children. Because those families dont have the money to fight the bogus allegations, Brown said. Beata Kowalski, a 43-year-old mother of two, died by suicide in 2017 after Smith accused her of Munchausen syndrome by proxya rare disorder in which a parent fakes a childs illness for sympathy or gain. The department sent a memo outlining the anti-trans dress code and warning that those who violate it may be fired. Miller is also seeking legal action and named in the suit. "This case will be tried in a court of law and at the end of the day, it is our expectation that Mr. Otano will be exonerated and get his job back.". The couple vehemently denies they ever abused their children and are fighting to get their parental rights restored. ABOUT ]); It would be the second child for her and her husband, immigrants from Ukraine who ran a trucking business in Sarasota County. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { As we have previously reported, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has no problem threatening families who do not agree with his views with having their children taken away from them by Floridas Child Protective Services, weaponizing the States alleged authority to take children away from their parents for a wide variety of reasons that do not include physical abuse. Check into that. In March, the Florida Board of Medicine enacted a rule that banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth who had not yet started puberty blockers or hormone therapy, making it the eighth state to restrict gender-affirming care for trans youth.