| Julia had been struggling to raise her
| |
| | just stand there and watch two men drag
|
| son, Jonathan, alone for several years
| |
| | me off in handcuffs? What did I do that
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| following her divorce. There were months
| |
| | was so bad that they needed to do this to
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| when she didn't know if she could make
| |
| | me?" Her heart broke.Her mind would not
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| ends meet, but somehow things always
| |
| | let her rest. She began to think about
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| worked out. Jonathan was eight when his
| |
| | where he was going and that she had never
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| father, Mike, walked out of their lives.
| |
| | had a chance to go visit the place. How
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| For the first several years Julia and
| |
| | could she do this, send her son to a
|
| Jonathan were a team and had a very tight
| |
| | place she'd never visited to be with
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| bond. Ron walked into Julia's life and
| |
| | people she had never even met.The next
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| before long they were married. Though
| |
| | day she received a call from the escort
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| Jonathan was happy for his mom he
| |
| | company telling her things went well, he
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| couldn't help but feel a void and slipped
| |
| | had reached his destination. Great, she
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| into depression.When Rob moved into their
| |
| | thought, I will call my son and hear from
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| home tensions formed. Julia became
| |
| | him that he's OK. To her dismay, she
|
| pregnant and during her pregnancy they
| |
| | learned very quickly that speaking to her
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| discovered Jonathan's grades were
| |
| | son was out of the question. "But", she
|
| slipping and his depresdsion was getting
| |
| | said, "no one ever said anything about me
|
| worse. Rob began to pressure Julia,
| |
| | not being allowed to talk to my son." The
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| telling her he had heard of programs that
| |
| | lady on the other end of the line assured
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| would help Jonathan with his grades and
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| | her Jonathan was alright and that she
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| his depression. Feeling pressure from
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| | could even see him smiling.But rest
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| Rob, Julia got on the Internet and began
| |
| | assured Jonathan was not smiling. Instead
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| researching programs for troubled teens.
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| | he was taken into a room where he was
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| With so many websites to choose from her
| |
| | strip searched, beaten for 30 minutes by
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| head was spinning. They all promised
| |
| | three large men, and told he'd better
|
| wonderful results for her son.She finally
| |
| | learn quickly that they were in
|
| called an 800 number and found a calm,
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| | charge.Julia was told that in order to
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| cool, and collected person on the other
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| | talk to her son he would have to advance
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| end. She was asked countless questions
| |
| | to a higher level in the program. She was
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| about Jonathan and was told he was headed
| |
| | told in order for him to advance he would
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| down the path of destruction. The
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| | have to attend and pass seminars, and so
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| admissions counselor, Patty, assured her
| |
| | would his parents. But she would be
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| there were wonderful programs for her
| |
| | having a baby soon, how could she attend
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| son. Within 24-hours she received
| |
| | a seminar hundreds of miles from home,
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| beautiful glossy brochures for programs
| |
| | she thought?Her head was spinning again.
|
| inside and outside the US. Her intuition
| |
| | She called her friend, Stacey, and broke
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| was telling her no, but the pressure from
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| | down. Once Stacey was able to understand
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| Rob and Patty was so great that she
| |
| | what had gone on, she told Julia she
|
| finally gave in. The baby would be born
| |
| | would do some research. It did not take
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| within a month and so, as Patty said,
| |
| | long before she found countless news
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| time was of the essence.The following day
| |
| | articles on the Internet with allegations
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| Patty called back. She said after
| |
| | of abuse and neglect in the very program
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| reviewing the online questionnaire Julia
| |
| | where Jonathan had been sent. Fearful
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| had filled out she believed Jonathan was
| |
| | Julia would go into premature labor, she
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| suicidal and if she did not act quickly
| |
| | brought all of this information to Rob,
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| time could run out. Julia's head began to
| |
| | believing Rob would immediately remove
|
| spin. How could things go from her
| |
| | Jonathan for this abusive program. But
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| child's grades slipping to him being
| |
| | Rob told her to mind her own business.
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| suicidal, just like that? She felt
| |
| | She, too, was torn and did not know what
|
| trapped in her situation and though her
| |
| | to do.Stacey waited until after the baby
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| mother's intuition again told her no, she
| |
| | was born when she finally approached
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| agreed to send Jonathan to a program
| |
| | Julia, showing her what she had found.
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| 3,000 miles from home.Patty told Julia
| |
| | Julia was enraged that her best friend
|
| she felt it would be best if Jonathan
| |
| | had kept this information from her. But,
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| were transported there by a teen escort
| |
| | when Stacey told her she had brought this
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| service. Julia was adamant that she did
| |
| | information to Rob and Rob had told her
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| not want him transported by strangers.
| |
| | to mind her own business, she broke down
|
| Rob overheard the conversation and said
| |
| | and wept and pleaded for her friend to
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| he felt it would be best given Julia's
| |
| | help her.Julia left her home and her life
|
| condition. She pleaded with him to take
| |
| | with Rob that night. Though she knew it
|
| Jonathan since she could not travel such
| |
| | would be a struggle to raise two children
|
| a distance this late in her pregnancy. He
| |
| | alone, she knew she could not stay with a
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| refused, saying the timing was not good
| |
| | man who knowingly allowed her son to
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| for him at work. Again feeling trapped,
| |
| | remain in an abusive facility thousands
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| and again against her own intuition, she
| |
| | of miles from home. She also realized he
|
| agreed.Later that day she received a
| |
| | had convinced her to send her son away
|
| phone call from the escort service. They
| |
| | because of his own selfishness, not
|
| informed her that due to their travel
| |
| | because he was thinking of Jonathan's
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| plans they would need to pick her child
| |
| | best interest.Julia took the baby to stay
|
| up at 3:00 a.m. She was outraged, saying
| |
| | with her mother while she and Stacey
|
| she wanted him picked up during the day.
| |
| | headed to the airport. They had read
|
| They told her that most children in her
| |
| | stories on the Internet of parents who
|
| son's condition will resist and will not
| |
| | had difficulties retrieving their
|
| want to go. They told her it would put
| |
| | children from these facilities. In one
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| undue stress not only on Jonathan but on
| |
| | story, a child had been transported to
|
| the entire family. She was told they had
| |
| | another facility out of the country. As
|
| years of experience dealing with children
| |
| | they read further, this mother told how
|
| and assured her he would be fine. Though
| |
| | she was unaware she had signed a contract
|
| this did not sit well with her, she again
| |
| | that allowed her son to be taken out of
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| reluctantly agreed.They faxed the forms,
| |
| | the country. Julia searched for her
|
| she signed them, and before she knew it
| |
| | contract, a contract she had never fully
|
| the arrangements had been made. Her son
| |
| | read. The words jumped at her ... she had
|
| would be picked up the next night. The
| |
| | agreed the program could obtain a
|
| following day was very difficult for her.
| |
| | passport for her son and could transport
|
| As she tried to go through her day she
| |
| | him to a facility outside the US. Her
|
| could not help but feel she was making a
| |
| | heart sunk as they rushed to pick him
|
| huge mistake. She tried talking to Rob
| |
| | up.When they arrived they rented a car
|
| about it but he said she was being
| |
| | and asked for directions to the facility.
|
| overprotective of her son and that this
| |
| | They drove for what felt like a lifetime.
|
| would be the best thing for him and for
| |
| | The sun began to go down and they were
|
| them. He told her it would give them a
| |
| | still not there. They had no idea the
|
| chance to start their new family while
| |
| | place was in such a remote area. They
|
| Jonathan received the help he needed.That
| |
| | stopped at a sheriff's office to ask for
|
| afternoon she took Jonathan out for an
| |
| | directions, since the ones they were
|
| ice cream. She wanted so badly to tell
| |
| | given appeared to be incorrect. The
|
| her son what was about to happen but she
| |
| | sheriff suggested they rent a hotel room
|
| remembered being told he would most
| |
| | and wait until morning to pick up
|
| likely run away. She held back the tears
| |
| | Jonathan. What they had read in one
|
| as she watched him eating his ice cream,
| |
| | mother's story was happening to them.
|
| longing for the days when it was just her
| |
| | Julia insisted he give her directions. He
|
| and Jonathan. She questioned herself over
| |
| | refused and left the room. The Desk
|
| and over again, but ultimately felt she
| |
| | Officer quietly walked over to Julia and
|
| had no choice but to send him away.That
| |
| | slipped a piece of paper in her hand and
|
| night she tucked him into bed. She went
| |
| | whispered for her to hurry. The look of
|
| into his room many times before 3:00
| |
| | fear in the officer's face made Julia
|
| a.m., watching him sleep. Thoughts rushed
| |
| | realize that no matter how strong the
|
| through her head of waking him up,
| |
| | urge to grab her and give her a hug, she
|
| getting in the car, and taking him away
| |
| | had better just walk away and get her
|
| from it all. She felt torn between her
| |
| | son.The directions looked promising as it
|
| relationship with her son and her
| |
| | was evident they were very close to the
|
| relationship with Rob.She got no sleep at
| |
| | facility. As they drove down the long
|
| all that night. At 3:00 a.m., right on
| |
| | dirt road they saw a broken-down sign and
|
| time, there was a quiet knock at the
| |
| | a small, dilapidated building. Nothing
|
| door. She was shocked to see two large
| |
| | like the pictures they had seen on the
|
| men standing there, not at all what she
| |
| | Internet. Where were the beautiful
|
| expected. They assured her everything
| |
| | horses? The rushing stream? The forest of
|
| would be fine. They sat down with her at
| |
| | trees? The fields of flowers? The
|
| the kitchen table, going over forms and
| |
| | numerous lakes and ponds? All they could
|
| telling her it would be best if she went
| |
| | see was what looked like an old run-down
|
| into her bedroom while they woke Jonathan
| |
| | farm.As they approached the building
|
| up and took him away. How could she do
| |
| | their hearts raced in fear - fear that
|
| this, she thought? Rob stood over her
| |
| | Jonathan would not be there. They entered
|
| shoulder, assuring her everything would
| |
| | the office area where they were greeted
|
| be alright. Her hand shook as she wrote
| |
| | by a stout woman asking what they wanted
|
| the $1,800 check.Tears welled into her
| |
| | and why they were there without an
|
| eyes as she was escorted to her bedroom.
| |
| | appointment. Julia swallowed hard as she
|
| She sobbed as she stood by her door,
| |
| | tried to speak. She said, "I'm here to
|
| straining to hear what was going on. She
| |
| | pick up my son." The woman told her that
|
| heard Jonathan scream, then he was
| |
| | in order to pick up her son she would
|
| silent. What did that mean, she wondered?
| |
| | have to call ahead of time and make
|
| Was he reassured as they said he would
| |
| | arrangements. "Didn't you read your
|
| be? Or did they do something to him. She
| |
| | contract?", the woman asked. "No!", Julia
|
| couldn't take it any longer and opened
| |
| | answered, "and quite frankly that's part
|
| the door. Just then she saw them - two
| |
| | of the reason I am here tonight. Just get
|
| large men, one small child - she looked
| |
| | me my son!"At this point they saw
|
| hard and realized her son was in
| |
| | children walking in a straight line,
|
| handcuffs. His head turned and their eyes
| |
| | their chins to their chests. When Julia
|
| met. She ran to him, sobbing, but Rob
| |
| | realized the third child in line was her
|
| pulled her away. She was able to swipe
| |
| | son, she screamed, "Jonathan, come here
|
| her hand over his face as she yelled she
| |
| | this instant!" Jonathan took one look at
|
| was sorry and that she loved him.As
| |
| | his mother and ran as fast as he could.
|
| quickly as they came they were gone.
| |
| | Before the receptionist had time to call
|
| Julia had never experienced pain like she
| |
| | for assistance they were able to hustle
|
| experienced that night. No matter what
| |
| | him into their car and fled from the
|
| Rob said, no words could calm her nerves.
| |
| | area, never signing forms or retrieving
|
| She feared something horrible would
| |
| | his belongings.Once they were in the car
|
| happen to her son. She laid there all
| |
| | Jonathan could not stop talking. Julia
|
| night thinking about what had transpired
| |
| | later learned the children were not
|
| over the past few days. She realized it
| |
| | allowed to speak but for a few moments
|
| was not her decision to send her son away
| |
| | each day. Sadly, after they returned home
|
| but rather it was Rob's persistent
| |
| | he shut down and would not talk. It took
|
| coercion and pressure. She felt a deep
| |
| | months of therapy before her son would
|
| resentment toward him as he laid there
| |
| | even speak to her again. They are very
|
| sleeping, unaffected by the events that
| |
| | slowly re-building their
|
| had just gone on in their home. How could
| |
| | relationship.Copyright 2006Isabelle
|
| he be so insensitive, she thought. How
| |
| | Zehnder is a legal professional and a
|
| could he do this to them?She thought
| |
| | dedicated child advocate. She is the
|
| about all the times she taught Jonathan
| |
| | founder and President of the Coalition
|
| not to go with strangers. "Don't talk to
| |
| | Against Institutionalized Child Abuse
|
| strangers ..." ... "don't go with
| |
| | (CAICA), advocating and mentoring
|
| strangers ..."She realized a complete
| |
| | children who were abused and/or neglected
|
| stranger convinced her to allow two men
| |
| | in residential treatment programs. She
|
| she had never met before into her son's
| |
| | provides a website to educate the public
|
| bedroom in the middle of the night. How
| |
| | about the multi-billion dollar for-profit
|
| did Jonathan feel, she wondered? Like he
| |
| | youth industry that, for the most part,
|
| was being abducted? She could hear
| |
| | is unregulated.
|
| Jonathan's voice asking, "Why would mom
| |
| |
|
