My name is Kelly Knabb. This is a photo of me and my son, Iggy.

I am a Chicago native, artist, activist, writer, humorist, model, dog-lover, and most importantly, mother.

My parental rights were stripped by the Circuit Court of Cook County in Chicago, IL, and my son Iggy was removed from my care. I have had little access to my child since he was taken nearly a year ago, and I am fighting for my rights and to bring my son home. 

I am making this petition and sharing my story to raise awareness of the corruption in the family court system, the unbridled power of the Guardian ad Litem, and the devastating effects unchecked power in our legal system has on families and children.

After filing for divorce a little over one year ago, I asked the court to assign my son a Guardian ad Litem (GaL), a person appointed by the court to represent the best interests of a child. I did this to protect myself and my son from my controlling and abusive ex-husband, who for years threatened to use his financial power and influence to take custody of our son.

At the time I had no idea the power of a GaL, but my life since then has been a living nightmare as I have come to personally know the pain and devastation that comes with being on the "bad side" of a GaL.

In October 2020, on the recommendation of Guardian ad Litem Attorney Erin Wilson, my parental rights were stripped by the Circuit Court of Cook County Judge Robert Johnson.

While I was without legal representation, the court used unsubstantiated accusations of my abusive ex-husband to remove my child from my care. I was forced by the court to undergo thousands of dollars in evaluations, and during this time I was only allowed supervised visitation with the child that I had raised since birth.

Since my child was taken I have undergone a full custody evaluation, psychological evaluations, court appointed therapy and coparenting therapy and still, despite the recommendation of court appointed doctors, my son has not been returned to my care.

There is little way for a person to fight the injustice of the court, but I will fight for my child. I have spent thousands of dollars fighting this in court, but I still am only seeing my son one four hour visit and an overnight each week. My son begs to stay with me, and I have no words to console him. I have reached out to the ACLU, countless women's organizations, domestic abuse organizations, the media, and no one can help me. I have begged the judge and the court to return my child.

My pleas have been ignored. 

It has been 337 days since my son was taken from me.

Nowhere in the United States should a court have the power to separate children from their mothers, but it happens far more often than people realize. 

Please sign this petition to show your support against the unchecked power of the family court system. Please sign this petition to reunite a mother and child.