(Republicaninformer.com)- Parents were stripped of their child after a Court of Appeals in Indiana ruled last week that the child was safer being outside of the home where the child was put in harm’s way over a host of concerns, including the parents refusal to acknowledge their child’s transgender identity, according to The Post Millennial.
Both parents filed an appeal against an Initial/Detention Order claiming that their orders are “erroneous,” as they violate their constitutional rights to care, custody, and control of their child, as well as their right to exercise their religion. The court considered the appeal “moot,” ultimately stating that because the child was suffering from physical health issues as a result of the dispute, the child would have to be placed in care where the parents are able to visit. The court also stated that family reunification is the goal.
In May 2021, Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS), received a report “alleging that Mother was verbally and emotionally abusing then-sixteen-year-old Child by using rude and demeaning language toward Child regarding Child’s transgender identity, and as a result, Child had thoughts of self-harm.”
Ten days later, DCS received another report “alleging that the Parents were verbally and emotionally abusing Child because they do not accept Child’s transgender identity, the abuse was getting worse, and the Parents were being mean to Child due to Child’s transgender identity.”
A preliminary inquiry report conducted by a family case manager found that the child had been suffering from an eating disorder and has not yet been evaluated by a medical professional.
“Mother said things such as “[Child’s preferred name] is the bitch that killed my son”; and Child “would be more likely to have thoughts of self-harm and suicide if [Child] were to return to the family home due to mental and emotional abuse,” the report stated, adding that the child did not feel safe in the home.
In late May 2021, DCS filed a CHINS report (Child in need of services), seeking CHINS-1 and CHINS-2, where the child was reportedly physically or mentally neglected by the parents.
The court subsequently removed the child from the home ruling it in the child’s best interest during this time. In October 2021, DCS changed the CHINS designation to CHINS-6, alleging “that Child was substantially endangering Child’s own health.” The court also dropped previous allegations of CHINS-1 and 2 and expunged them from the record.
“The motion indicates that the amendment was appropriate because Child’s eating disorder was worsening, Child had lost “a significant amount of weight,” Child was throwing away and hiding food and neglecting to eat full meals, and Child did not believe that Child had an eating disorder, had lost weight, or needed treatment,” the court document states. The parents did not object to the motion.
“I am not taking any issue with the child’s views or the parent[s’] views. They are differing views and that happens in life. [B]ut to the extent that we now have these medical issues that again, there is a [nexus] between this discord about the lifestyle and the medical issues. That has to get resolved and this [is] going to take some therapy and that is going to take some cooperation from all involved,” the document added.
