Center for Judicial Excellence

Justice. Accountability. Integrity.

  • About Us
    • CJE Board of Directors
    • CJE Staff
  • Donate
  • Contact CJE
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Initiatives
    • Advocacy & Legislation
      • Media Advocacy
      • Policy & Legislation
      • Prior Legislative Victories
    • CJE Youth Speak
      • Forced “Reunification Camps”
    • U.S. Divorce Child Murder Data
    • Educating Oversight Agencies
    • Marin Court Misconduct
  • Resources
    • Family Court Crisis Background
    • Domestic Violence & Child Abuse Resources
    • Pro Bono Services, Self-Help Centers & Court Information
  • Media
    • Allen v. Farrow 2021 Panel Discussion
    • Kids of Divorce Speak Out
    • CJE in the News
      • Online & Print
      • TV & Radio
      • Press Releases
    • The Director’s Corner
    • Special Projects
      • Film
      • Photo Exhibit
      • Slideshow
    • Photo Gallery
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
      • Advocacy Training
    • Previous Forums & Events
      • Allen v. Farrow 2021 Panel Discussion
      • Santa Monica Weekend
      • People’s Choice Award!
      • 10 Year Anniversary Campaign
  • Take Action!
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Advocacy Training Sign-Up
    • Get Social
  • News
You are here: Home / News / 12/5/16 Press Release: 58 Children Murdered By A Parent Who Could Have Been Saved

12/5/16 Press Release: 58 Children Murdered By A Parent Who Could Have Been Saved

December 5, 2016

12/5/16 Press Release: 58 Children Murdered By A Parent Who Could Have Been Saved (PDF)

CJE Logo

For Immediate Release:                                                                                     Media Contact:
December 5, 2016                                                                                                 Kathleen Russell       

58 Children Murdered By A Parent Who Could Have Been Saved
Filicide in U.S. Family Courts: A Snapshot is released by Judicial Watchdog

SAN RAFAEL- Filicide is the deliberate act of a parent killing his or her own child. For scores of parents in the United States whose children were murdered by the other parent, repeated attempts were often made to convince family court judges that their kids were at grave risk. In a data release called Filicide in U.S. Family Courts: A Snapshot, the Center for Judicial Excellence presents 44 cases from across the U.S. during 2008-2016 in which family courts failed to protect 58 children who were murdered by a parent during a divorce or child custody dispute.

“If it is the last breathe I take, I will make sure that Duncan and Jack’s story is heard,” said central Illinois mother Amy Leichtenberg, whose two sons Duncan and Jack were murdered by their father, who then killed himself on a court-ordered unsupervised visit in 2009. “I want to make sure that no other parent ever has to feel this pain,” she said.

In a lengthy national story from 100Reporters by Laurie Udesky, Custody in Crisis: How Family Courts Nationwide Put Children in Danger, the role of the family court system in harming children of divorcing parents is examined, and the Center for Judicial Excellence filicide data is brought to light.

The data snapshot focuses on the deaths of 58 children in 44 cases in which a U.S. family court did the unthinkable during a couple’s separation or divorce- it knowingly placed their children into unsupervised contact with a dangerous parent who killed the child(ren), and often themselves. In far too many filicide cases, family court judges ignore evidence of domestic violence, untreated mental illness, and drug or alcohol addiction by a parent and instead blame or punish the “protective parent” for raising legitimate concerns about placing their children into harm’s way.

“These kids were court-ordered into contact with their murdering parent when their safer parent was typically ignored or even ridiculed by a judge as they fought for their child’s safety, said Kathleen Russell, the executive director of the Center for Judicial Excellence.

By law, family court judges have a duty to protect the children of parents who appear before them from abuse, neglect and murder, regardless of what a parent requests during the proceeding. Domestic violence research details the numerous challenges that battered spouses face when trying to leave an abusive relationship. This data does not attempt to explore these issues- it merely presents a snapshot of cases where family courts failed to protect children from the ultimate harm- murder by a parent. The research is ongoing and should not be viewed as the entire universe of U.S. child murder cases related to divorce and child custody. In fact, more than 520 children in the U.S. have been murdered when divorce, separation, custody, visitation or child support were mentioned in news coverage. 

The Center for Judicial Excellence has been working for more than 10 years to expose and fix a crisis in the U.S. family court system that is harming countless children whose parents are navigating separation and divorce. Visit www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org for more information, or to report a family court-related filicide.

For photos of the Leichtenberg boys and their mom Amy, go to Filicide in U.S. Family Courts: A Snapshot.

##

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • More
  • Email
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Print

Filed Under: News

Family Law Documentary Trailer

Recent News

What Happened to Jaevion Riley? 7-Year-Old New Hampshire Boy Dies

January 31, 2023

A seven-year-old boy has died after being … [Read More...]

Ava Wood’s father bought shotgun 16 days before apparent murder-suicide in Baldwinsville

January 24, 2023

BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. — Christopher Wood purchased … [Read More...]

Alabama police identify 2012 ‘Baby Jane Doe’ remains, arrest parents

January 21, 2023

Alabama police, with the help of DNA technology, … [Read More...]

UPDATE: Man who Allegedly Murdered His Children in Murfreesboro Reportedly Killed his Wife in Alabama Approximately 2-Months Ago

January 20, 2023

(Murfreesboro, TN) We now have more details about … [Read More...]

More news

News Archive

Contact Us

P.O. Box 150793
San Rafael, California 94915
Phone: 415-444-6556
Email:
info@centerforjudicialexcellence.org

Find Us on Facebook

Follow CJE on Twitter

My Tweets

Email List Signup

By entering your email address and clicking "Subscribe" you agree to receive email communications from the Center for Judicial Excellence.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Translate This Site

CJE DOES NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE. We want to hear your story, however, please be advised, if you choose to share information with us, we can not guarantee your privacy.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; CJE and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites. Readers of this website should contact their attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this site without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the appropriate jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney can provide assurances whether the information contained herein applies to your particular situation.

 

Copyright © 2023 Center for Judicial Excellence. All Rights Reserved.

Log in

 

Loading Comments...