My name is Ann Maguire, CEO of Wings for Justice, a national nonprofit whose mission is to protect children in the family court system by creating awareness, providing education, and advocating to bring positive change. We do this in part by helping survivors of domestic violence/coercive control/child abuse build their cases to advocate for their children. Wings for Justice has worked on over 300 cases across the country in the last few years. I am writing this letter in support of Caroline Less and have been her legal advocate from Wings for Justice since August 9, 2019.
I have spent countless hours over the past 15 months speaking with Caroline about her case,
reviewing emails, text messages, motions, affidavits, and therapists’ reports. Caroline’s case
is a classic example of trafficking children through the family court system for cash. Her minor child is a victim of sexual abuse, who has consistently named her father, as her known abuser since 2016.
BRIEF HISTORY:
•
Mom filed for divorce from dad in August 2015, only one minor child
•
Divorce was final September 2016 (
Dad chose
every other weekend
for his physical custody
and
50/50 legal with majority of decisions to be made by Mom
)
•
There was
never any litigation duri
ng divorce concerning mom “keeping the child away from dad” nor did dad have any issues with mom’s parenting or with mom
•
Minor child disclosed sexual abuse in a Forensic interview at the St Louis Child Advocacy Center (STL CAC) following her divorce from dad in Sept 2016.
•
Judge Sandra Hemphill issued their divorce and oversaw the first year of mom’s motion
to modify custody, following the child's
substantiated report of sexual abuse issued
by STL children’s division.
•
Judge Sandra Hemphill ensured a
TRO remain in place for Saskia from October 2016 through August 2017
•
August 2017 the court issued a Judge change and Judge Bruce Hilton was assigned to this case
•
October 2017 GAL Elaine Pudlowski recommended unsupervised visits for the minor child to Judge Bruce Hilton
•
GAL withheld disclosures from the court
- evidence attached for your review
•
Judge Bruce Hilton lifted the TRO that was in place for Saskia and ordered unsupervised visits for the minor child in December 2017
•
Trial for motion to modify was on March 29 & 30, 2018
•
GAL Elaine Pudlowsk
i following trial,
recommended dad be awarded Full Legal Custody and 50/50 Physical Custody
•
GAL’s reason for recommending dad have full legal custody was “mom refuses to co
-
parent with dad.”
•
GAL did not provide the court any additional evidence, notes or summary reports.
•
GAL submitted only a generic Missouri state parenting plan
, with no mention of
child’s ongoing disclosures os sexual abuse, substantiated report following forensic
interview, hot line calls to Missouri child abuse phone line or any of the therapists’
reports
•
This
case has clear and convincing evidence of collusion, corruption, extortion, malfeasance, child endangerment, violations of due process, civil procedure, constitutional rights, parental rights and child rights.
FACTS IN ST LOUIS COUNTY FAMILY COURT - CASE NUMBER: 15SL-DR050021-01
•
October 2016 daughter discloses sexual abuse at St Louis Child Advocacy Center (STL CAC) in forensic interview
.
•
Children’s division
issues
substantiated report of sexual abuse
•
Dad hired Dr Ann Del-Duncan-Hively for $5,400.00
to
present on Dad’s behal
f at
Missouri Child Abuse Review Board
•
Missouri Child Abuse Review Board
overturns substantiated report
following Dr Ann Del Duncan-
Hively’s
presentation filled with false, misleading and untrue statements
.
•
Deposition of Dr Ann Del Duncan-Hively is available upon request.
•
A total of 11 hotline calls
have been made on behalf of Carline’s daughter, only 2 calls
were initiated by mom.
•
9 hotline calls were initiated by therapists, teachers and unknown mandated reporters.
•
Daughter disclosed sexual abuse
in
two, separate
Forensic Interviews at STL CAC
- (1)
Oct 2016
and (1)
June 2020
•
Judge Hilton denied Caroline a protective order on behalf of her daughter,
following child’s 2
nd
forensic interview at STL CAC in June 2020
•
Law enforcement gave the case from STL CAC to the St Louis County Prosecuting
Attorney’s office in August 2020
•
January 2021,
mom found out by calling the Prosecuting Attorney’s office that
case had
been dropped by St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney’s office
PARAMOUNT INFORMATION RE: HOTLINE CALLS
2016
Substantiated report of sexual abuse issued by children’s division stated one count of sodomy because Caroline’s minor child reported sexual abuse by her father stating, “he put his finger in my butt.”
2017
Hotline call initiated by Salicia Mazero, play and sand therapist. Salcia Mazero quoted the
minor child stating her father, “pulls my pants down and plays with my pookie.” and that it happened more than once (The minor child confirmed that “pookie” was her
word for vagina).
Therapist Salicia Mazero called Joanne Shelton, St Louis County Children’s Division
Circuit Manager, multiple times, with zero response from Joanne Shelton