019: Silenced No More - A mother's battle against the family courts

Melissa is a Michigan mother and activist whose daughter was taken from her through the family court system. In this episode, she shares her story — from her daughter's father refusing to return her child in 2019, to her daughter disclosing sexual abuse at age three, to a system that repeatedly failed to protect them both.She also discusses the Rowan Act, legislation that would require law enforcement to intervene in parental kidnapping cases even without a custody order.

Topics Covered:

Parental kidnapping and police inaction
Child sexual abuse disclosure and forensic interviews
Guardian ad litem bias
How the court system silences protective parents

Resources:- RAINN: 1-800-656-4673 | rainn.org

Childhelp Hotline: 1-800-422-4453
National DV Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

TRIGGER WARNING
This podcast contains deeply disturbing content, including firsthand accounts from parents and family members who have lost children to familicide—the murder of a child by a parent or caregiver. The stories are raw, emotional, and include details of immense loss, system failures, and trauma. Listeners are advised to take care, and may pause or stop the podcast if needed.

Connect with Hope Hooton:
Email: hopeinthepain@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hope_in_the_pain/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hope.in.the.pain
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hopeinthepain
Website: voicesagainstfilicide.odoo.com

Support & Subscribe:
If you found this episode meaningful, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this podcast to amplify the stories of those who can no longer speak for themselves.

Voices Against Filicide Merch Shop:
https://momcast-productions.myspreadshop.com/

The Rowan Project:
https://therowanproject.org/

Production Credits:
Written, Researched, and Hosted by: Hope Hooton
Produced & Edited by: Rachel Holloway
A Momcast Production

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