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 / Media Advocacy / Family Court Crisis Online Photo Exhibit / Jonea – Stylist – 12 Years in Family Court

Jonea – Stylist – 12 Years in Family Court

 Marin County, CA & Kauai County, HI

Jonea

Click to Enlarge Photo

Like many women, Jonea’s marriage troubles began when she got pregnant and decided to have her child against her husband’s wishes. In the divorce that followed, Jonea believed that her ex-husband would make life very difficult if she didn’t agree to joint custody of their daughter, so she agreed to share custody.

Jonea’s daughter began suffering from a yeast infection that only got worse after overnight visits with her daughter’s father and grandfather. Shortly after the first overnight visit, Jonea took her daughter to Kaiser, where the doctors documented vaginal discharge and oral, vaginal and rectal yeast. The child was subsequently returned to Jonea with various other injuries, including a black eye and scratches on her buttocks. The child’s babysitter reported seeing what looked like a bite mark on the little girl’s thigh, and smelling a semen-like odor in her diaper.

When she was old enough to talk, Jonea’s daughter began to say things that had Jonea very concerned. One evening her daughter took a necklace out of Jonea’s jewelry box and put it up to her vagina and said “the snake goes into the hole.” On another occasion, while sitting in the bathroom before taking a bath, she began to bounce up and down on her knees. She made a tight fist as if she were holding something. When Jonea asked what she was doing bouncing, her daughter said, “I’m on his lap. I have to hold the snake until it dies.” Jonea reported these incidents to her attorney, the child’s doctor and the court-appointed custody evaluator.

The custody evaluator did a home visit at the father’s home. Jonea learned that prior to the visit, the father and the grandfather acquired a live snake to make it appear as though Jonea’s daughter had a pet snake the whole time, and that it “went into the hole“ of the aquarium in which it lived. The evaluator dismissed Jonea’s concerns and reportedly told her that “they’re just into nature, and this is basically all your imagination.” Jonea asked when the father had gotten the snake for her daughter, and the evaluator reportedly told her “two weeks ago.” Jonea then reminded the evaluator that the snake incidents had been reported more than a month earlier. At that point, the evaluator reportedly got very flustered and angry with Jonea, reiterating that it was just her imagination. The evaluator, who was ultimately paid over $30,000 by the father, issued a report stating that Jonea was a danger to her child, and that her child should be taken from her.

Jonea felt like she was at the end of her rope, unable to help her daughter. So she moved out of Marin with her child with the hope of protecting her. For three and a half years, Jonea and her daughter lived a very different life on the road. In January of 2004, Jonea was located and arrested. She went to jail pending trial for nearly five months, while the Marin authorities and family court placed the young girl with her father and grandfather without assessing the child or her safety.

In subsequent custody orders, the family court refused to consider any evidence of the injuries, yeast infections and snake incidents involving her child that had caused Jonea to flee. The family court called Jonea’s attempts to ex- plain what had happened “frivolous” and irrelevant. However, that same evidence was allowed into the criminal trial she faced for violating her custody agreement. After listening to the evidence, including the testimony of Jonea and the father, the criminal jury found Jonea innocent of all crimes with which she was charged. Nonetheless, Jonea still only gets supervised visits with her daughter, who was moved to Hawaii by the father against the mediator’s recommendation. Jonea’s efforts to obtain more time with her daughter have failed, despite sworn testimony in 2007 by the father’s girlfriend that he repeatedly beat her while Jonea’s daughter was in the home, and that Jonea’s daughter sleeps naked with her father on a regular basis.

Share this:

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

Family Law Documentary Trailer

Recent News

US child killings have risen rapidly – why are more states pushing for joint custody laws?

May 19, 2023

Early one day last year, Kellie Elliott stopped by … [Read More...]

Her son said his stepdad was sexually abusive. A judge gave the stepdad custody anyway. Then his mom found the photographs.

May 18, 2023

How the 'junk science' of parental alienation … [Read More...]

Custody battle preceded murder-suicide of SLC father and son

May 18, 2023

SALT LAKE CITY — We are continuing to learn more … [Read More...]

A Court Ordered Siblings to a Reunification Camp With Their Estranged Father. The Children Say It Was Abusive.

May 18, 2023

One Thursday afternoon in December, a father and … [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...