A renegade family advocate says she has helped over 7,000 individuals hide children from a parent and the court.
68-year-old Faye Yager became the Children of the Underground’s leader in 1987. Along with hundreds of like-minded individuals, Ms. Yager conceals parents (mostly mothers) and children from allegedly abusive parents and the judges who award full or partial custody to those individuals. The movement reached its heyday in the 1990s, before a high-profile 1998 lawsuit essentially forced her into hiding. In that action, businessman Bipin Shah sued Ms. Yager for $100 million, after she allegedly helped his ex-wife flee with his daughters. That lawsuit was dropped when the children were returned. But Ms. Yager, who now lives quietly in North Carolina, remains committed to the movement she helped found.
Following a recent high-profile incident in nearby Minnesota involving Samantha and Gianna Rucki, three individuals face kidnapping and related charges, including the girls’ mother and the owner of an anti-family court website.
Parental Alienation Syndrome
PAS is a relationship dysfunction and not a mental disorder. Only a minute number of cases involve parental kidnapping and other reckless acts. Generally, PAS is much more subtle and assumes a number of different forms.
In a way, all these behaviors fit the classic definition of “domestic violence,” which is the unjustified use of physical, mental, or emotional force against a family member:
- Blaming the other parent for the divorce or custody dispute in a conversation with the children,
- Making such remarks to a third person while the children are within earshot,
- Posting such remarks online,
- Extending special privileges, like an extended curfew or reduced chore load, in an attempt to curry favor with the children and isolate the other parent,
- Consistently making last-minute changes to the parenting time schedule,
- Scheduling activities that interfere with the other parent’s visitation, and
- Using the children as emotional sounding boards and confidants.
The first three behaviors are generally prohibited by standard family court orders, but these provisions are often difficult to enforce.
What to Do
Early action is the key, because once PAS sets in, its effects are essentially irreversible, and the targeted parent’s relationship with the children will be permanently damaged.
Once a motion to modify is filed, most judges routinely refer the matter to a DFCS or family court social worker. These professionals typically receive special instruction with regard to PAS, so they are familiar with both the symptoms and the impacts.
At trial, the judge normally gives a great deal of deference to the social worker’s report. For this reason, a PAS finding is often sufficient to leverage into a favorable mediated settlement. At the very least, the alienating parents are made cognizant of their behavior, which is the first step towards successful co-parenting.
Standing Up for Your Rights
Sadly, PAS has wrecked a number of families in Schaumburg. Before it happens to yours, contact the compassionate attorneys at Glasgow & Olsson for a confidential consultation. Convenient payment plans are available.