Petition for Justice: Prosecute Arnold Shienvold, Custody Evaluator, for Ethical Violations, Child Endangerment, and Negligence

To: Department of State

We, the undersigned, demand immediate action and justice following the tragic and preventable death of 6-year-old Adam Jonathan Gitter, beloved son of Dr. Elena Belogolovsky. We emphatically call for the prosecution of Arnold Shienvold, custody evaluator, for his egregious ethical violations, breaches of professional guidelines, and direct responsibility in the events that led to Adam's untimely death, as well as his endangerment of countless other children.

Background:

Adam was a vibrant, loving, and intelligent boy whose promising life was tragically cut short on March 2, 2024. Prior to Shienvold's involvement, Adam lived safely, primarily, with his mother, Dr. Elena Belogolovsky, in Pennsylvania. However, under the influence of Adam’s father’s attorney, Darren Holst, Arnold Shienvold was appointed as the custody evaluator in the case. It is evident that Shienvold operates within a disturbing "kids-for-cash" scheme, where he is paid exorbitant fees ranging from $40,000 to $80,000 per evaluation, primarily hired by fathers' attorneys to undermine custody rights of protective mothers.

Due to Shienvold's recommendations, Adam was relocated to live with his father in Florida, a move that ultimately proved fatal.

Concerns about Shienvold’s Evaluations:

1.     Lack of Reliability and Validity: The custody evaluations conducted by Shienvold lack fundamental reliability and validity, compromising their fairness and accuracy.

2.     Biased Conduct: Arnold Shienvold has a deeply troubling history of bias, frequently favoring abusive fathers in custody disputes, lying under oath, and selectively presenting information to manipulate outcomes of the custody disputes.

3.     Ongoing Investigation: At the time of his appointment in Adam’s case, Shienvold was under investigation by the Department of State, underscoring his unsuitability to conduct impartial custody evaluations. Throughout his 40-year career, he has faced numerous investigations stemming from complaints about his biased and unfounded evaluations, which directly jeopardize children's safety.

Call for Action:

Arnold Shienvold's actions flagrantly violate the American Psychological Association (APA) Code of Ethics and the guidelines for custody evaluators set forth by the APA and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). His unethical practices and biased assessments have endangered the lives of countless children, including Adam.

Our Demands:

We, the undersigned, urgently demand:

1.     Prosecution of Arnold Shienvold for violations of the APA Code of Ethics, guidelines for custody evaluators, child endangerment, negligence, and intentional infliction of harm to children.

2.     Review and Reform of the custody evaluation process to prevent future tragedies and ensure impartial, child-centered evaluations.

Adam's story must catalyze transformative change to protect vulnerable children and uphold accountability within the custody evaluation system. Join us in demanding justice for Adam and in preventing further harm to innocent children and families.

Thank you for your support.

By signing this petition, you stand with us in ensuring justice is served and systemic flaws are addressed to safeguard the well-being of children in custody disputes.