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Divorce can get ugly, but rarely on the level of this Michigan court case. In a tragic miscarriage of justice, three minors are now getting jail time for getting caught in the crossfire of their parent’s bitter disputes.
A Michigan judge ordered three children be sent to a juvenile detention facility until they were 18-years-old after the trio refused to go to lunch with their father.
According to June 24 court transcripts, Oakland County Judge Lisa Gorcyca told the mother and children, aged 15,10, and 9, that the case, stemming from a contentious divorce that began in 2009, was tied for the worst “parental alienation” case she had ever seen. She blamed the mother for alienating the two older boys and their younger sister from their father.
“Your children — you need to do a research program on Charlie Manson and the cult that he has,” the judge told the mother, according to court transcripts. During the hearing, the son attempted to explain to Gorcyca why he didn’t want to spend time with his dad.
“Because he is violent and I saw him hit my mom,” the boy said in court documents.
Gorcyca claimed the child had been brainwashed and held all three in contempt of court and sent them to the Children’s Village, a detention facility, where they were to be held until they turn 18-years-old.
It’s hard to believe a ruling like this is actually possible. The judicial system should be looking out for the best interests of the children, not to play the role of family counselor. Save the tough love for Dr. Phil. These kids need therapy, not jail time (in the case of one child, OVER HALF her life span) with offenders who have actually endangered society and broken the law.
