This is one of the most horrific cases we have ever witnessed. The dad, who runs the farm, was banned from his home for over a year, even though he broke no laws. What you read here are mom's own words, taken from her diary that she kept throughout the ordeal. The names in this case have been changed. Dad's name has been changed to Brad, the daughter's name changed to Judith.

A DAD ARRESTED FOR DISCIPLINING HIS DAUGHTER, BOTH OF THEM RIPPED FROM THEIR HOME AND THEIR LIVES DESTROYED.

2002

Sept 14 Our house was hit by lightning. A direct hit. Some of our appliances were destroyed. All of the electrical outlets were charred. One of our cows was killed.

Judith was acting a bit defiant. She was instructed by Brad to clean her room and take her dirty laundry downstairs to be washed. When Brad checked her room some time later, Judith had not done what she was told. She was told again to take her laundry downstairs. Sometime later, Brad asked her if she had done what she was told. Judith told Brad she had done her work and was finished. When Brad checked her room, he found that nothing was done. Judith was scolded and instructed to do what she was told.

Judith was told not to feed the cats on the deck, which had just been water-proofed. She then took the cat food and placed it on the deck, an apparent act of defiance. Brad took the spatula and advised Judith she was going to get a spanking for her actions. He swatted her once on the buttocks. When Brad tried to swat her again on the backside of her pants, Judith attempted to twist away, and the spatula swatted her on the lower back.

Sept 17 Tuesday. I received a telephone call from a man who identified himself as Sergeant Leo Manson of the Ashland County Sheriff's Office. He advised me that he needed to talk to me. I asked him if I was "in trouble" for anything. He replied, "I don't know." The sergeant wouldn't say what he wanted to talk to me about. I immediately began worrying, and slept only two hours that night.

Sept 18 Sergeant Manson came to our house and talked to me. He told me that Judith had a small bruise on her back and we were being investigated for child abuse. He didn't say what was going to happen.

Sept 20 Friday. I was talking on the phone to a friend and saw two sheriff's cruisers pull up in front of my house. I told my friend, "I have to go, I have company." A woman identifying herself as Jane Timmons from the Department of Children's Services came to the door with two deputies and told me "I've come to take Judith." I at first told the woman that she wasn't taking any of my children. The deputies then indicated that they were there to assist the social worker. Jane Timmons then grabbed Judith and literally dragged her kicking and screaming to the car. When I told Judith that she would be back home soon, Jane Timmons said, "I'll make sure you never see her again." One of the officers present, Deputy Sheriff Kinsley, seemed like he felt sorry for me and told me that Judith would definitely be home by Monday September 23rd.

Sept 23 We went to court for the shelter care hearing. Brad is being charged with Domestic Violence and Child Abuse. Brad was ordered by the judge to remove himself from our home, and to remain away from the residence and all of our children. The judge also ruled that Judith was to remain in shelter care. I don't understand why Judith cannot come back home if her father is no longer allowed in the home. Obviously, Deputy Kinsley was mistaken.

Sept 30 Monday. I appear in court again at a shelter care rehearing. I felt that Judith should be allowed to come home with me, since Brad had been ordered out of the home. The people from Children's Services argued that Judith should not be allowed near me, even though I am not being charged with any violence against her. The judge sided with Children's Services and ordered Judith to stay in shelter care.

Oct 1 Tuesday. Judith's hair and head is full of head lice. She got them from being around other neighbor children at the foster home. What is wrong with the court?

Oct 3 We go to the pretrial. Brad pleads NOT GUILTY to all pending charges.

11:30 PM can't sleep at all. I miss everybody so much

Oct 7 We are required to appear in court for the initial hearing. The Ashland County Department of Job and Family Services alleges that Judith is an Abused and Dependent child. A plea of denial is entered to the complaint. The case is then continued for an adjudicatory hearing. We will be notified of the date.

Oct 8 Judith wants to come home real bad. I keep telling her I am trying real hard to bring her back home.

Children's Services is trying to get a Support Order set up against Brad, my own husband.

Marty Winthrup, one of my caseworkers can't answer any questions I have on anything.

Judith told me that her foster mother is giving her more pills than what she is supposed to have. Since she is losing weight, they are trying to force her to take vitamins she doesn't like. She should not have to take them.

School officials won't talk to me at all about anything. They treated me like the scum of the earth when I went to pick up the boys for a visit with Judith.

Judith's been gone so long, I don't feel like she's even a part of our family anymore. I feel a big part of me is missing. There is a huge void in me. I feel lost and alone without Brad and Judith.

Oct 9 I love Brad. I miss him so much. I lay in bed wondering if I'll ever have him back in our home. Carl cries a lot because he misses Dad so much. He's doing very poorly at school. His teacher said that he can't concentrate at all.

We are going to try to get a lawyer to subpoena all school records for court. It might prove that things were better before Judith was taken away.

Judith is in a house where they smoke in front of her. With her asthma, that could be harmful to her. Judith also said that they threaten to hit her! I've been ordered by the court not to use any physical discipline on my children, and the foster parents are threatening to hit Judith! I complained to Marty Winthrup and he told me that this is the best foster home they have.

I am writing everything I remember down on paper.

I notice that everything I tell Marty Winthrup gets thrown back in my face in court by the prosecutor. Everything he asks me about home, family, cows, etc. I can't win for nothing. GOD is going to work this thing out!

Oct 10 I have a sick pig and Brad can't even come to look at them.

We were told that we have to pay for all classes at our own expense. That's not fair! They are making us do this, they should pay for it.

I can't even plan Thanksgiving because Brad and Judith are not home.

Oct 12 When we got married we became one. Our vows said the two shall become one. I personably will never feel any different about that. I love you no matter what Brad.

I took Andrew to the doctor and saw one of my friends from Church. I was very scared because I didn't want anyone to know I lost Judith to Children's Services, so I tried to walk away with just a smile. I was afraid to go anywhere, because I didn't want anybody who knew me to know Judith was taken. Dumb me. I was so embarrassed thinking I was not a good mother.

I miss every Sunday, when we grilled steak together as a family even in the winter. We have always had a big Sunday dinner with the family. We even made our own homemade ice cream every Sunday. The kids would help with turning the ice cream freezer.

Oct 22 The caseworker ordered me to stop asking Judith any questions. They are upset that I am asking Judith how they are treating her in the foster home.

My case plan is still not done.

Oct 28 The case plan is still not done. It was supposed to be done by October 20th. Talked with Lydia Cartwright about case. Said they'd be moving Judith this week. She will be going to a different School. I told her I was hoping to get Judith back by Thanksgiving. She said that's not possible.

Oct 28 Went to Children's Services to review the case plan and no one was there to see me. Lydia Cartwright was supposed to be there. I was never called or informed in any way and I made a special trip to Ashland, 21 miles one way from home, for nothing. I had an 11:30 a.m. appointment. She never showed up. Then after I went back, later that day they said I was not a fit parent. I have to go to parenting classes. They were to make it mandatory for me to work with all the kids I have. They ended up rewriting the whole case plan. As of Oct 28 p.m. it is not DONE.

They are really dragging their feet on getting this family back together. By law they said they have to have a case plan in place within 30 days from when they took Judith. They still don't.

Oct 31 Children's Services cancelled a visit with Doctor T.K. for Nov 4th at 11:30 a.m. She said I could no longer make any doctor appointments for Judith. Dr. TK made this appointment himself. I have not seen Judith at all for 10 days. They took away my visits for the week of Oct 28th to Nov 1, 02.

My attorney, Elaine Coleman, told me that Judith could come home if I plead guilty to child abuse and neglect. I didn't understand, because I am not being charged with any crime. Elaine also said that Brad may never be able to come home. I was sick the rest of the day. Why should I be asked to plead guilty to something I have never done? I hardly slept all night.

Nov 1 I called Elaine back at 8:30 a.m. and asked why I had to plead guilty to something I did not do? She told me that I should "play along with the plan." I'm starting to wonder who my attorney works for!

Nov 12 Another court hearing is conducted based on my request that Judith be allowed to return home with me. The judge was unable to decide at the hearing if Judith could return home because he wanted to talk with the Guardian Ad Litem, who had submitted a report and was not present at the hearing. The Judge did say that Brad may never be allowed to return home. (That's crazy!!)

It was discovered later that the Guardian Ad Litem recommended that Judith return home to me, but only after I completed parenting classes. The judge found that, until I completed these classes, Judith was in "immediate or threatened physical or emotional harm." I don't understand why the court is allowing the other four children to be here with me if I am that dangerous!

The Case Worker informed me that she didn't know that Judith had an asthma inhaler that needed to be carried with her at all times. That's just great!

Nov 15 Children's Services called me and said they needed to see me about my case plan, and asked me to come to their office. When I got there, they told me I had to sign their piece of paper. I asked them why they needed my signature if they already had the authority to do it? I am afraid to sign anything. At that point they told me that I was not allowed to leave until I signed the paper. They said "You can stay here all day if you want, but you are not leaving." I asked what would happen if I refused to sign. At that point I was told that if I did not sign their paper, they would take the rest of my kids from me. At that point I felt sick. I signed the paper because I wanted to keep my other kids at home. Something about this whole thing feels wrong!

Nov 25 Thanksgiving was sad without Judith and Brad. This was the worse Thanksgiving I have ever had in my entire life.

I called the case worker to talk to her about Judith. She said she received a note from Appleseed. She said it was not necessary for me to go through Anger Management. But she was making it mandatory for Brad to go through Anger Management, so I called the Neuro-Behavioral Association in Mansfield Ohio. They said it would cost $140.00 just for the in-take plus $35.00 an hour per session. She said Brad would not be allowed to come home until he completes both Anger Management and marital counseling. That was never a part of the case plan. And we cannot afford 70.00 dollars per session for marriage counseling. She said the longer we wait the longer we will be "split up." It is not right for her to play God. She is making up her own set of rules. We agreed to do the anger management and parenting classes. We did not agree to do marriage counseling because we do not need it.

Dec 10 I called Elaine Coleman, my attorney. I told her that I thought it was unfair that Judith was not allowed to come home with me when there was absolutely no evidence that I had ever done anything wrong. I asked her to file a motion to have Judith come back home. She told me I needed to finish my parenting classes, my anger management classes and my psych evaluation first, and then got mad and hung up on me. OK, who needs the anger management classes?

Dec 11 9:00 a.m., I called the court to ask for new attorney. The clerk of courts said they are very hard to come by. I'm stuck with the one I have.

Dec 26 This was the worst Thanksgiving and Christmas that we ever had because we could not spend it together as a family. We did not want anybody to feel left out. If Brad would have gone to Thanksgiving dinner, me and the children could not go. If I would have gone, then Brad would not be able to go. So we did not have a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day of 2002.

We could not have Christmas together because of the same reasons. I worried all day long and ask myself if Judith was having a good time. It just wasn't Christmas and Thanksgiving without Judith and Brad. I love you both very, very much.

Brad I miss you. I know when you are working you are away from us. But now we have a court order that we can't live in the same house. We are married, for God's sake! God wants us to live in unity and not to be separated.

2003

Jan 10 I went to visit Judith today at the Department of Children's Services. When Andrew was playing around in the room where we met with Judith, he found a baby monitor behind the couch. A social worker came in and told Andrew to leave the monitor alone. We found out that he was listening to and taping everything I was saying to Judith. I told the social worker, "You were listening to everything I was saying to Judith." He told me "I have to."

The caseworker is changing Doctor appointments for Judith to suit herself. Judith was past due for her appointment.

Jan 9 I received a call from Children's Services, advising me that Judith had been rushed to the emergency room at the hospital on January 6th, three days ago! I found out that Judith was hooked up to life support because of dehydration and she was turning purple and blue. No one called me to tell me that my daughter was so sick. I asked what if something would have happened to her while she was in the hospital? They said they would have contacted me. But they told me that she was in their custody. When I asked what hospital Judith was in, they refused to tell me. Maybe they should have listened to my complaints about the foster home she was in!

Jan 17 I was allowed a supervised visit today with Judith by Children's Services. I took her some cookies for her birthday. I visited for a total of 45 minutes. Judith clung to me and had to be pried off of me when I left. Judith cried, and told me that all she wanted to do was to "come home and be with you and daddy again." According to the social worker, Judith has become "withdrawn and unresponsive." Her condition was described as "shutting down." I blame her present environment for her deteriorating condition. Judith told me she was going to another foster home. That would be number 3. Why can't they keep her in one place? Then she told me that the foster parent's child was beating her. What is wrong with this picture?

Brad is still banned from the home. I am alone with the remaining children, and I sleep with a baseball bat next to my bed, not knowing if Children's Services is going to bust into my home again.

I attempted to discontinue going to the parenting classes I at first agreed to attend. The caseworker told me that Judith couldn't come home until parenting classes were completed. That is not what Henry Graham told me in court. He would like to see me at least half way finished. I believe the caseworker is making up her own set of rules again.

We went to the parenting class given by Emma Boyd. She showed everyone in the class a copy of the child abuse laws. This woman read the first part of the law that says, "No person shall do any of the following to a child under eighteen years of age... administer corporal punishment or other physical disciplinary measure," and then stops reading! She then goes on to tell the class that it is illegal to physically discipline your kids! I tried to ask her what the rest of the sentence meant, "which punishment, discipline, or restraint is excessive under the circumstances and creates a substantial risk of serious physical harm to the child," but she refused to discuss it. She actually made everyone in the class (except me) believe that spanking is against the law. She also told us that we could get arrested under the domestic violence law and the assault law.

Jan 22 I went to see Judith today. My friend went with us. The kids found a video camera running with us on it. The camera was behind a two-way mirror. The kids got up close to the mirror and could see the camera behind it. They were taping everything that we were saying. How rude! Can't we have a visit without being invaded by county workers. What bothers me is that I thought we were in a private room. We brought clothes for Judith and she was changing, right in front of that camera.

I took a tape player with me. Is it not against the law and my rights that I was not told that I was being watched and taped during my visits?

Jan 27 I was supposed to see Judith today. But I was very sick and could not go because I did not want to make her sick.

Jan 31 The foster parents don't know how to handle Judith's asthma attacks. The social worker always calls me to find out what to do with Judith. She tells the foster mom, "I will call mom because she knows what is best." The caseworker said that to the doctor on Judith's visit January 31st. The caseworker does not know how to handle Judith either.

Feb 3 We had a meeting today between Parenting Plus, Children's Services, and myself to see how I act around my own child. This is a big test to see whether Judith comes home or not. I thought it went well, but I don't know what they thought.

The caseworker told me Judith was in the hospital again. This is the third time since she has been removed from our home. What is going on in Foster Care? She has never been to the hospital this much, ever. This time it was for dehydration and asthma. Judith wants to come home real bad. I have only one more class to take. I hope Friday will be our day. I hope the Judge sees that she needs to come home.

I talked to lawyer Elaine Coleman and she said that someone does not feel that Judith is safe in my home. She will not probably come home this time. That was a 4:00 o'clock phone call.

Feb 10 Talked to the caseworker at 9:30 a.m. and she lied to me again. She said that she would not oppose Judith coming home under protective supervision. That was not the case in court. Judith is still not home. The caseworker told me she did not talk to the prosecutor, or Children's Services. But in another sentence she told me when she talked to these people that they were going to wait until March 7th hearing to decide if Judith could come home or not. She keeps lying all the time. I told her we had court Friday Feb. 7th, 2003. She said she could not be there. The judge even said we are having court on Friday, not Monday. I said, "This is my child I am worried about, not yours. You don't care about Judith." She said, "You are right. I don't care!"

Later that day my friend called me. My cousin died. I called the caseworker to find out if Judith could go to the funeral. She said, "I don't care if it's a funeral or a wedding Judith is not going." Judith could not go to the funeral and they don't care about my family. She said she had more important things to do than talk to me about a funeral. And then she hung up on me.

Feb 11 I have been crying for Judith and Brad every night. I miss them so much. We were a happy family before these people took my daughter and husband away. If the shoes were on the other foot, she would be doing the same fighting for her family.

Feb 19 The court held a hearing to see if Judith should come back home. The Judge said Judith is to be returned home immediately. I called the social worker and she said it would not work for her today. I told her it works for me and I want my daughter home today. I told her I would come to school and pick her up. She finally agreed to meet me at 2:00 o'clock. I took Judith to church that night. Everyone stood and clapped their hands for our victory.

Mar 12 Judith is terrified of any police or sheriff's car she sees now. She ducks down and hides because she is deathly afraid someone will take her again.

I have been experiencing real defiance problems with Judith since she came back home. She knows I cannot touch her. Tonight she had a hissy fit and threw her hairbrush at her bedroom window and smashed it. It will cost $370.00 to fix it. Children's Services can take a child from her home for 5 months and ruin her. I have a court order on how to deal with her and it does not work. They leave me to pick up the pieces of the ruins they created!

Mar 28 Judith was off school March 28 and we had planned all week to go walking in Johnston woods and eat out at Wendy's and take her window to be fixed, because it was 75 degrees out. It worked out for us that day to do the window.

Mar 29 I am dealing with things I have never dealt with before. Judith threatens me all the time when I try to discipline her. She says she will call Children's Services and tell on me. They have definitely brainwashed her on what I can and can't do. She knows and fully understands that.

Mar 30 The caseworker wants to know all that goes on in my home, good or bad. In my opinion she will tell the court whether or not I can handle my own child. She called on Friday and said that she had been to my house four times in the last 3 weeks. She said that I was not home. That is a lie because I was at home every day! The court order from the judge says, "The Ashland County Department of Job and Family Services shall have at least one contact per week with the children, either at home or at school." Maybe she's violating the court order and she is blaming me.

The caseworker called and left a very nasty message on my answering machine which is now on tape. Every time she comes to our home she leaves her cigarette butts in my drive. The baby gets them and will put them in his mouth. There should be a law against her smoking on private property and throwing her trash on our property. We don't allow anyone to smoke on or around our property. What she can get away with because she is a county worker! She herself told me that she is not allowed to smoke in a county car but we saw her smoking in the county car.

Mar 16 Brad and I went away for the weekend on business. Brad's sister and brother-in-law came from Toledo to spend the weekend at our house to watch our children. On Saturday they went to Uncle Ron's to go horseback riding. They were planning to go to East of Chicago Pizza to eat dinner. Judith gave her aunt such a hard time and called her uncle the devil. She actually threatened to call Children's Services on them when they told her what to do! After spending a day with Judith they went home in utter exhaustion. I told Judith this is how you treat your family? You threaten to call Children's Services and the police on your aunt and uncle because you could not have your own way?

Mar 28 I had a key hidden outside for the boys in case they got off the bus before I got home. the caseworker stopped by the house that day and the key has been missing ever since. She was the only one there that Friday. The neighbor was watching my house for me and told me she saw her there looking around our property.

April 7 The assistant prosecutor came to my house with subpoenas for my children for the April 8th and 10th court date. She walked into my house like she owned it. She told me "I need to talk to the kids." When she interrogated my children, she badgered them when she didn't get the answers she wanted. When one of the children couldn't remember something, she would say things like "You gotta do better than that!"

April 9 Another hearing is held in Juvenile Court to determine if our five children are Dependant Children. The judge decided that Brad was still banned from our home. He also decided that I was to allow social workers in my home any time they wanted to visit. He also ordered me again to never use any type of physical discipline against any of the children.

April 22 We appear in court again, this time because the DJFS has filed a complaint in an attempt to take all of my children away. Their complaint states that "(The mother) is not acting in the best interest of the children, and her conduct has or threatens to cause emotional harm to the children." In court, we found out that this entire debacle was because I would not allow my son to buy a video! Do you believe that the DJFS is now trying to dictate what my son can spend his money on? Fortunately, the judge ruled that the evidence presented by the DJFS was insufficient. The kids stay with me. This whole thing sure seems like a waste of taxpayer's money!

May 9 The caseworker went to the school to see Judith. She told Judith that she wanted to take her out of school to go somewhere with her. I told Judith not to leave school with anybody.

May 16 Judith told me that the caseworker and the prosecuting attorney came to school and bothered her today, asking her all kinds of questions.

May 20 Brad is worried about his hunting license and rifle. He really enjoys hunting wild game. He would have to give up everything if he is found guilty of Domestic Violence. Brad is sad because he has not seen his children in over 7 months. Carl and Jerry miss snowball fights and wrestling with Dad on the living room floor. Brad missed building the pinewood derby cars with the boys for Boy Scouts this year. They miss the water gun fights and helping dad make ice cream and grilling steaks.

Because Brad's trial is today, I made arrangements with my next-door neighbor to bring the kids in her house when they got off the school bus. I told the kids to stay at the neighbor's house until I get home.

We are in court. My heart is pounding hard and my stomach is upset. They won't let me in the courtroom. The not knowing is killing me. People keep passing in the hall waiting to testify and nobody talks to me. I am here for my husband only, not to please the prosecution.

I finally got in court at 3:30 p.m. to hear closing arguments. I was there 10 minutes max. Henry Graham and Jane Timmons called me back outside the courtroom and told me that Jerry and Carl were being picked up by the sheriff to be dropped off at the court. The boys were supposed go to the neighbor's house next door after getting off the bus. The caseworker was at our house with the sheriff's deputy waiting for my kids to get off the bus to snatch them. The neighbor was waiting at the door for the boys. The caseworker had called the prosecutor's office to inform them that I had made no arrangements for my children, and they were going to be home alone without any supervision. She knew nothing of the arrangements I had made the night before. Just because they "assumed" I was going to leave my kids at home unattended, they take it upon themselves to forcefully grab them and take them wherever they want? What a joke! I was so mad at the caseworker that I could have just hit her. They walked in and tore our lives apart and they think that I am supposed to be alright with that?

I go back in the courtroom. They've reached a verdict and we all went inside to hear it. They took only one half hour to reach the verdict. And they all found him NOT GUILTY!! That was the jury's verdict. Thank God we won!!

May 21 To this day, my family does not know about any of this. We have stayed away from our own family because we did not want them to know. This is almost killing my kids. We can't see dad or the cousins. I just keep telling them that dad is coming home soon and then we can go see the rest of the family.

May 29 On this date at 3:30 p.m. the case worker showed up at my door. I was inside sweeping my floors and she said, "I need to see Judith and I need to go in your house." I told her that Judith was not home from school yet and you are not going in my house. She kept insisting to go in my house. I told her I would call the sheriff if she tried to enter my house so she stopped. A few minutes later Judith's bus arrived at the house. Judith got off and the caseworker thought that I was lying and was hiding her in the house. I ask the caseworker why she was at my house on May 20th to kidnap my boys, and she said that she could not discuss that with me at this time. I asked why and she said she just could not.

May 30 Brad is on trial in juvenile court. Nobody else is allowed in the courtroom. Only our attorney, Elaine Coleman, the prosecutor and the judge are in the room. When they came out, we were told that the judge would decide later and let us know. There was no trial! How is a judge supposed to decide if there is no trial? We are supposed to know by next Friday, June 7th.

June 7 Attorney Coleman told me to call the court to find out what the judge's decision was. When I called, they told me they couldn't tell me anything, and that an attorney had to call. No decision yet.

June 9 I picked up a copy of the judgment entry today. In it, the judge says "the Court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that each of these children was residing in a household in which a parent or custodian, namely, Brad xxxxx, committed an act that was the basis of the adjudication that Judith xxxxxx, who is a sibling of these children, is an abused child." The judge also states, "each of the other children is in danger of being abused in a similar manner." The judge also has set a dispositional hearing for Friday, June 13th.

June 13 The hearing is rescheduled for Friday, June 20th.

June 20 The dispositional hearing is held. The judge asks if there are any objections to the father returning home. The Guardian Ad Litem testifies that he objects to the father returning home. When asked why, he states that he feels that I have "paid someone under the table" to write a positive psychiatric evaluation for me, because it is obvious that I "have serious issues." The Guardian Ad Litem was unable to submit any evidence to support his outlandish claims.

The judge agrees with the Guardian Ad Litem and agrees with the prosecutor and Children's Services to again change my case plan. I have been told repeatedly that that if I finish the case plan, my life could return to normal. Now, another stipulation is added. I must now attend a program called "Birth To Three/Help Me Grow." This program runs for eighteen months. Brad, who is still banned from our home, must complete a psychiatric evaluation and attend anger management classes before any consideration will be given to his return home.

Since then.

The Family Defense Network of Ohio contacted an appellate attorney, who agreed to file an appeal on the conviction of Brad in juvenile court. The attorney graciously agreed to be compensated with whatever funds were possible. The appeal was filed in the Appellate Court.

Obviously, the juvenile court judge was surprised that anyone would question his ruling. For a period of time after the appeal was filed, mom and dad heard nothing from the court. Then, in a move not often seen, the judge reversed his conviction of the dad, and informed all of the parties that they could go back home together.

Because the decision was reversed by the judge, there was no longer any need for the appeal to continue. The appeal was withdrawn from the Appellate Court. Unfortunately, because the judge has in effect "made everything better," the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the county is greatly diminished.

The family is back together, but the relationship between the parents and children is strained. The cattle had to be sold early, due to dad being banned from the farm. The financial burden on this family has been devastating, and there is a possibility that they could lose their farm over this unconscionable action by county Children's Services.

Family Defense Network of Ohio     Office Box 26348, Cleveland, Ohio 44126     (800) 438-8277    info@fdno.org

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