Friday, May 16, 2008

Mother wins child brainwashing case

Boy can be sent to U.S. facility to undo father's bid to instill hatred
KIRK MAKIN

May 16, 2008

JUSTICE REPORTER -- A 13-year-old boy whose domineering father systematically brainwashed him into hating his mother can be flown against his will to a U.S. facility that deprograms children who suffer from parental alienation, an Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled.

Mr. Justice James Turnbull ordered the boy - identified only as LS - into his mother's custody. He said the boy urgently needs professional intervention to reverse the father's attempt to poison his mind toward his mother and, in all probability, to women in general.

"There will probably be future significant problems experienced by LS if the court does not intervene - including significant personal guilt for his part in the rejection of his mother, anger towards women, and dysfunctional relationships with women," Judge Turnbull said.

The judge flatly refused to take the boy's opinion on the therapy into account, saying that LS cannot exercise "free discretion in expressing his views" because of the influence his father has had on him.

Judge Turnbull observed that the father, 54, has repeatedly breached court orders granting the mother limited access to her son. He said the boy has come to perceive himself and his father as "intertwined and unable to distinguish one's thoughts from the other."

As part of his campaign of absolute control, the father dictated toxic e-mails for LS to send to his mother.

The father also removed photographs of the mother from her son's bedroom.

Judge Turnbull also noted that in 2005, the father pursued an assault charge against the mother. As a result, LS, at the age of 10, was required to testify against her in criminal court.

"Frankly, the exercise of such parental indiscretion stuns this court," Judge Turnbull said, adding that the mother was acquitted.

Jeffery Wilson, the mother's lawyer, said yesterday that the case is a breakthrough for parents attempting to win back children who have been intentionally alienated from them.

"This is a precedent in Canada - the first time a Canadian court has recognized the lack of resources to deal with the disease of parental alienation and answered it with a private remedy - the Family Workshop for Alienated Children," Mr. Wilson said.

"The age of a child is no reason to justify a lost opportunity to know and benefit from both of the child's parents," he added.

In his ruling, Judge Turnbull praised the work of the FWAC and urged the Ontario government to encourage similar programs.

According to evidence at the hearing from Dr. Richard Warshak, a founder of the FWAC, many children are so set against participating in a program that reunites them with a hated parent that they have to be transported by police or probation officers - sometimes in restraints.

"In the case at bar, Dr. Warshak has suggested that LS would travel to the United States with transport agents on one flight, and his mother would follow closely on another flight," Judge Turnbull noted in his ruling.

Dr. Warshak said that sessions focus on teaching children to assess their domestic situation critically, and to appreciate that both of their parents are essential to their well-being.

Sessions lean heavily on video presentations, intensive discussion with psychologists, and opportunities for the child and his or her alienated parent to interact.

Upon returning home, children receive after-care from a local psychologist. After several months, the child is usually ready to commence a relationship with the parent who caused the alienation.

The parents in the LS case married in 1982 and separated in 2005. LS was placed in the primary custody of his father, a salesman.

The father changed phone numbers, ignored e-mails and left the mother - a 49-year-old who works in public relations - with no alternative but to drive to arenas where her son's sports teams were playing in hopes of getting a glimpse of him.

The mother launched court action last year in an attempt to win sole custody of the boy. After a nine-day hearing last fall, Judge Turnbull reserved his decision.

He said that an e-mail the mother received in late 2006 was indicative of the father's control over the boy. "I don't want to see you and I never will want to see you ever again and who do you think you are to say my dad makes my distions (sic)," it said. "I MAKE MY DISITIONS. GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD. If I want to see your side of the family, I will call them."

A child psychiatrist who assessed the father, Dr. George Award, said in a report that he was a mistrustful, autocratic woman-hater who "built a demonic image" of his ex-wife and turned his son into his entire social life.

Original Article-

globeandmail.com: Mother wins child brainwashing case

10 comments:

Christine said...

Absolutely fascinating. Thank you for posting this. A precedent here in Canada! I feel renewed hope now and have gone to the Canlii site to look up this case to give to my lawyer.

I see that the father of LS has recently tried to regain custody of him. Here's the court info about that on Canlii:

http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?text=%22jeffery+wilson%22+warshak&language=en&searchTitle=Search+all+CanLII+Databases&path=/en/on/onsc/doc/2008/2008canlii47477/2008canlii47477.html

leo said...

i am leo stouros the kid in the article. this is total bull. i feel sorry for the kid that are being brainwashed and the paernts to that have lost them but i just want to clear this up. because i dont like people talking about me without my oppion.

if you want to contact me leostouros@hotmail.com

Zoey said...

Leo,

Would you like to share why this story is as you stated "bull"

What is the truth behind this article?

Thanks in advance

Anonymous said...

The child Leo Stouros is now back living with his father.

Steenybopper said...

What IS the truth? Was Leo Stouros really writing the above on his own or was he influenced by his father like the stuff mentioned in the original article?

leo said...

yes this is leo. I have said it before and ill say it again this article is bullshit. I now go to a private school in vaughan mills, canada for dedicated student athletes. it has been hard to cope with what has gone on. Me and my father now try to rekindle our relationship to what it used to be. A loving and happy one. my father and i both have changed and adapted has people, we did so to cope with the situation of me living with my mom. and for the people who still think im alienated, answer me this. if i was alienated why have to specialist and doctors cured me, they had over a year and have made no progress. what i say is the truth, the neglecting and abuse that my mother has done to me personally is true.

leo said...

my mom never drove me anywhere i hadly saw her. she was always in metting or on trips. my dad did everything from driving to cooking, but he never once spoke down about my mother to me

Unknown said...

The Superior Court of Canada can no longer silence me to the injustice that has played out since February of 2005. Presently an 18 year old attending Colgate University entering my sophomore year this fall on a Lacrosse Scholarship. The Courts would have you believe that my precedent setting case was a success and the system worked. Nothing could be further from the truth. A parent with an ulterior motive, a personal agenda hell bent on destroying any one and anything that got in her way. Using and abusing the courts to her advantage, rendering me useless to stop the destruction of the system for a fair and unbiased trial. On the eve of Father's Day, I write this as a young educated adult who finally has a voice and looks forward to having my day in court. My gift to my Dad is to clear his name and hope he can look to my success as a reason to never stop fighting for the truth regardless of the consequences. I welcome hearing from all who have been effected by my case. In my report to Superior Court, I will go into detail as to what effect and costs this as had on my father who's only agenda was to tell the truth while trying to protect his only child within a system that is seriously flawed. Leo Stouros lstouros@colgate.edu

Unknown said...

The Superior Court of Canada can no longer silence me to the injustice that has played out since February of 2005. Presently an 18 year old attending Colgate University entering my sophomore year this fall on a Lacrosse Scholarship. The Courts would have you believe that my precedent setting case was a success and the system worked. Nothing could be further from the truth. A parent with an ulterior motive, a personal agenda hell bent on destroying any one and anything that got in her way. Using and abusing the courts to her advantage, rein during me useless to stop the destruction of the system for a fair and unbiased trial. On the eve of Father's Day, I write this as a young educated adult who finally has a voice and looks forward to having my day in court. My gift to my Dad is to clear his name and hope he can look to my success as a reason to never stop fighting for the truth regardless of the consequences. I welcome hearing from all who have been effected by my case. In my report to Superior Court, I will go into detail as to what effect and costs this as had on my father who's only agenda was to tell the truth while trying to protect his only child within a system that is seriously flawed. Leo Stouros lstouros@colgate.edu

Unknown said...

The Superior Court of Canada can no longer silence me to the injustice that has played out since February of 2005. Presently an 18 year old attending Colgate University entering my sophomore year this fall on a Lacrosse Scholarship. The Courts would have you believe that my precedent setting case was a success and the system worked. Nothing could be further from the truth. A parent with an ulterior motive, a personal agenda hell bent on destroying any one and anything that got in her way. Using and abusing the courts to her advantage, rendering me useless to stop the destruction of the system for a fair and unbiased trial. On the eve of Father's Day, I write this as a young educated adult who finally has a voice and looks forward to having my day in court. My gift to my Dad is to clear his name and hope he can look to my success as a reason to never stop fighting for the truth regardless of the consequences. I welcome hearing from all who have been effected by my case. In my report to Superior Court, I will go into detail as to what effect and costs this as had on my father who's only agenda was to tell the truth while trying to protect his only child within a system that is seriously flawed. Leo Stouros lstouros@colgate.edu