Christian Parents Sue Sweden Over Custody Dispute After 3 Years of Daughter Separation

Christian parents in Sweden are seeking legal recourse through the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after three years of separation from their daughters. The couple, Daniel and Bianca Samson, allege that false accusations of abuse led to the removal of their children, who now remain in foster care due to claims that the family is “religious extremists.”

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, representing the Samsons, reported that Swedish child protection services took custody of 11-year-old Sara and 10-year-old Tiana in 2022. The incident began when Sara, at school, falsely accused her parents of abuse. This claim, which she later retracted, was triggered by the parents’ refusal to allow her a cell phone or to wear makeup, according to ADF International.

Prosecutors initiated an investigation into the Samsons but closed it after finding no evidence of abuse. Despite this, the parents were not allowed to regain custody of their daughters even after the investigation was dismissed and they completed parenting training. Child protection services cited the family’s religious practices and refusal to let the girls wear makeup as reasons for keeping them in foster care.

The girls have been in three different foster placements since June 2023 and have been separated from each other. Their parents are permitted to visit once a month under supervision. ADF International noted that Sara has expressed a strong desire to return home, but both girls have experienced worsening mental health, including suicide attempts.

The Swedish Supreme Court rejected the Samsons’ request to regain custody earlier this year, and authorities have denied their appeal to transfer the girls to Romania, their home country. Daniel Samson stated that the family is turning to the ECHR because all domestic legal avenues have failed to restore their parental rights.

“We love our children. We trusted Sweden to protect them — and when the truth emerged, we expected our daughters to come home. Yet they remain away from us, and their mental health continues to deteriorate,” he said, according to the release.

ADF International argues that the situation represents a “severe violation” of the Samsons’ parental rights. “This case strikes at the heart of every parent’s most fundamental right — the freedom to care for and protect one’s children,” said Guillermo Morales Sancho, ADF International’s legal counsel.

Source: Read the original report