Making A Difference For Dads

Our Chicago based law firm has a demonstrated record of success on behalf of fathers in custody disputes arising in divorce and paternity cases, in related matters such as domestic violence protection orders, and in post-decree matters such as child abduction, parent relocation and modification of child support orders.

Children rescued from abusive home now safe with dad

PRESS RELEASE
Date: April 18, 2022
Contact: Jennifer Whiteside – 312-702-0862 – [email protected]
For release: Immediate

CHICAGO – Two boys were taken by their mother from Illinois to Oklahoma, where they were reportedly abused and neglected. The Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd., found them, rescued them, reunited them with their father in Illinois, and won custody for Dad.

Attorney Jeffery M. Leving, founder and president of the firm, will talk about this harrowing case on his weekly radio show, the Dads Rights Legal Hour, 9-10 a.m. CDT Saturday, April 23 on Power 92.3 FM in Chicago.

Dad lived with his little boys – one just a baby – and the children’s mother in Chicago until the mother told him she was going to Oklahoma to visit family, taking the boys with her. After a short time in Oklahoma, she announced to dad she was never coming back to Illinois and he wouldn’t see his children ever again.

To make matters worse, this father learned, according to court documents, that the mother had moved in with a man she just met, and was allowing this unknown man to abuse one little boy, terribly beating him with a belt buckle. It was reported she also left the other boy home alone when he was sick and badly needed medical attention.

“Completely distraught, this overwhelmed dad turned to me for legal help,” Leving says. “We designed a skilled strategy to rescue these children from the reported abuse and neglect by their mother and her new boyfriend. We had a two-pronged attack – find the location of the children, and at the same time get into court on an emergency basis to ask the court for immediate relief.”

The same day the Leving legal team went to court, the firm’s private detective was able to find the children who, according to court records, had been concealed in a trailer park. “We then passionately argued to the judge that these two boys were in extreme danger, and that a court order was necessary requiring the mother to immediately turn over the children to our client,” Leving says. “The judge agreed, and ordered the immediate return of the children, gave custody of the children to Dad, and denied the mother any visitation at all. We won.”

The Leving firm’s fierce advocacy in and out of court saved the lives of this dad’s children. “With this victory, modified for broadcast, Dad can now safeguard and nurture his two children, without fear that they’ll be abused, neglected or concealed from him ever again,” Leving says. “This dad didn’t give up. He fought for his children and won. His children are now safe. It’s a great result for him and his sons.”

Leving also will speak about Parental Alienation Awareness Day, which is April 25. Parental alienation is when one parent badmouths the other parent to or in front of the children. “If this escalates, it can be harmful to the children, because it can deprive them of the opportunity to have a normal, healthy relationship with their other parent,” Leving says. “I believe this can be child abuse.”

In Illinois, if this is discovered and supported by proper evidence presented to the court, the consequences can be severe: A parent who commits alienation can lose custody or parenting time, possibly losing all contact. “It’s important that we take action when parental alienation is happening,” Leving says. “It can be harmful to the victimized parent, and it can be devastating to the children. This is what Parental Alienation Awareness Day is about. We must stop parental alienation.”

Jeffery M. Leving is founder and president of The Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd., and is a strong advocate. He is the author of Fathers’ Rights, Divorce Wars and How to be a Good Divorced Dad. To learn more about Jeffery M. Leving and his latest court victories, follow him on Twitter and Facebook, and view his videos on YouTube.