Mother And Children Separated, Not Just At Borders

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - July 2, 2018 - PRLog -- Newport Beach, CA: "This problem isn't only happening at our borders. For a divorced parent it is even worse. Even if you are a US Citizen that does not break the law, a Judge can separate you from your children with no deadline for reuniting," states Jennifer Ritchie, Lactation Specialist and owner of Milkalicious.

A judge in California on Tuesday ordered U.S. border authorities to reunite separated families within 30 days, setting a hard deadline in a process that has so far yielded uncertainty about when children might again see their parents.

"I lost physical and legal custody of my children 17 months ago for exposing my 9-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter to financial issues."

According to court transcripts Judge Julie Palafox from the OC Superior Court stated that Jennifer's children "will continue to suffer if they are exposed to the financial issues between their parents, and what the court is doing is in the child's best interest", and "Your responsibility as their parent is to protect them from these issues until they are adults."

On February 16, 2017 Judge Palafox used Family Code Section 3064 to award Jennifer's ex-husband sole physical and legal custody of her son and daughter to the on an Ex Parte order. This Family Code Section typically requires showing of immediate harm to the child like domestic violence or sexual abuse, or immediate risk that the child will be removed from the State of California.

A 95-page 730 custody evaluation and a 65-page supplemental 730 evaluation have both been filed with the court, and both recommend immediate return of 50/50 custody of her children, but court delays have kept this Temporary Order in place.

"I have taken full responsibility for discussing finances in front of my children in 2017 and was followed for 5 months by a court appointed monitor to ensure that I did not make that mistake again.  I was stressed out about money because my child support and spousal support wasn't paid on time. Now I have had to sell my home to pay for over $200,000 in legal fees, I haven't received any child support since February 2017, and my case keep getting pushed and a Temporary Order cannot be appealed," says Jennifer.

"I love my children more than anything and won't stop fighting for them."

Jennifer's next court date is in August.
www.milkalicious.com


Case # 13D005129
Superior Court of CA
County of Orange County