This petition is to force more compliance with Federal Regulations and Constitutional rights of citizens within Zephyrhills, Pasco County Florida. Many families are being ripped apart for monetary gain of the local government. In the retirement capital of the world families cost money to raise and fixed income tourist who stay 7 months out of the year are nothing but profit. We can't help where we are born and that should not decide whether we can have a family (parents) or not. This is my story.

My two children were taken from me as a result of a false arrest, an arrest that led to all charges being dismissed by the State Attorney's Office. Yet, this did not happen before my children were physically removed from my residential custody on December 10, 2020, just weeks before Christmas. My oldest was nearly nine, and my youngest was six and a half at the time, and we had always been together as a family. The Pasco County Sheriff's office stood by this decision, enforcing the separation of my children from me, their mother. For four agonizing months, we waited without a court date, trapped in uncertainty and distress.

 Without any due process and no extringent circumstances. The Pasco County Sheriff officially took my children into the custody of the state on December 28 2020. Just 18 days later! My first court date for a dependancey case was in March 2021. Subsequentlly, I was charged with a slew of criminal felony charges (at age 32 with no criminal history and as a Pasco County Public Works First Responder (12403) on inactive status) and placed under a Florida State Attorney investigation that same month on the 22nd of March 2021. This secured me never gaining custody back again. I am, to this day still under investigation.

This petition seeks to address and prevent such unjust and devastating situations right here in Pasco County, Florida. Children should not be removed from their families without tangible evidence of harm or risk, nor should they be taken away due to anticipatory concerns of potential future harm. Moreover, a parent's personal struggles, such as failing a drug test does not warrant the immediate and spontaneous removal of children, especially when there are no clear indicators of direct harm to the children. 

Statistics show that nearly 80% of children removed from their homes experience some form of emotional distress and instability. The National Coalition for Child Protection Reform has found that many child removals are unjustified and could be avoided if proper evidence and due process were prioritized. There is stringent federal guidelines that are not being followed and verifiable evidence before a family is torn apart. Children need the comfort and security of their family, navigating a tumultuous world with those they trust most by their side.

This petition seeks to end these unjust removals of children in Zephyrhills, Pasco County, Florida and gain support for a class action lawsuit against the unlawful removal of children from parents.

According to the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform, the majority of child removals nationwide are unnecessary and driven by systemic overreach rather than true child welfare concerns. Studies show that nearly 80% of children removed from their homes suffer from emotional trauma, depression, and long-term psychological instability.

We demand that Pasco County:

1. Comply with federal due process requirements before removing children from homes.

2. Cease emergency removals unless there is documented, immediate, and verifiable danger with physical tangible evidence 

3. Hold emergency hearings within 72 hours, as required by federal standards.

4. Adopt policies that prioritize family preservation, as required under federal law and not profits made by tourist.

5. Stop removing parental rights without the parents being present, unless incarcerated in prison not jail.

 

Federal Law and Constitutional Case Law Supporting This Petition that are violated constantly:

Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745 (1982):

The U.S. Supreme Court held that parents have a fundamental liberty interest in the custody of their children, and the state must prove neglect or abuse by clear and convincing evidence before severing those ties.

Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000):

Reaffirmed that the care, custody, and control of one’s children is a fundamental constitutional right protected by the 14th Amendment Due Process Clause.

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (42 U.S.C. § 5106a):

Requires states to implement due process protections, including prompt judicial review, for the removal of children.

 

Social Security Act, Title IV-E (42 U.S.C. § 671):

States receiving federal funds must make reasonable efforts to prevent removal and must obtain a court determination that such efforts were made.

Doe v. Heck, 327 F.3d 492 (7th Cir. 2003):

Held that removing a child without a court order and without exigent circumstances violates the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.

We, the undersigned, call for an independent investigation, policy reform, and a local ordinance to ensure compliance with federal law. No child should be taken from their home without just cause, proper judicial oversight, and due process.

Please sign this petition to urge the Pasco County authorities to adopt fair practices (federal law)  that protect families from unjust separation and prioritize the well-being of our children and families. Let us work together to safeguard the sanctity of family bonds and to ensure that no child is forced away from their family without justified cause.