 |
| Michigan Suicide |
DK went through her divorce in 1999 that
quickly turned into a custody battle and a high conflict case. As her children
were being mentally abused, now known as Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) she did what she could to help her children with the mental abuse they were experiencing, being careful that PAS would not be used against her.
DK says her children were angry and would state they wanted to kill themselves.
It was recommended by her counselor to call a
mental hospital and have the children receive treatment. The father would show up and demand to have his
children. When they were not returned, a report was made to Child Protection
Services (CPS) and nothing was done. Eventually, Deanna’s former spouse gained custody of
the children, and her children were concealed from her. Deanna has helped parents
in the family court and has several ways to do that.
Over the years DK has known parents whose children have committed suicide from family court not protecting them from abusive parents.
DK states, “Parents, children, and lawyers are
committing suicide because this system is failing, and justice is not being
served. Those who are to hold those accountable to make sure the courts are
running as they should, are failing.” DK says she was contacted by a teacher
in Holland, Michigan who stated that teachers are aware of children committing
suicide because of family court and abusive parents gaining custody. When you
have a child in your school and the parents get divorced and going through a
battle the teachers are aware. When that child goes to live with another parent
and then commits suicide, teachers know about it. Imagine this happening to 20
kids and teachers figure it out quickly.
Michigan has a rise in suicide rates by parents and children, but no one has figured out why they are happening, said Deanna. She believes a lot of the suicide is caused by family court!
Student suicide is the second leading cause of death
in the state and the issue remains a matter of urgency across Michigan. With a
50 percent increase in the last decade, state health data show. School districts in Michigan are acting including Cedar Springs Public, the school district invested $400,000 to add six mental health professionals to its staff in 2018. Districts far beyond Cedar Springs have felt the agony
of having multiple students take their own lives.
Kingsley Area Schools students died by suicide within
eight months.
Grand Haven Area Public Schools six students took their life between
2011 and 2017.
Ogemaw Heights High School two students killed themselves
within days last November; a third student attempted suicide.
A bill in Lansing, Michigan has stalled that would provide teachers training to spot students who are at risk.
DK says, “I can just imagine they took money from
social security to help with this issue. Do people realize how the government
is creating mental health issues so they can use the people's social security funds? They use that money for judges 401K
with kickbacks in how much money they collect in child support. They use that
money to take kids and place them into foster care and doing a lot of illegal
activities to do that!”
With suicide levels rising nationally, other states also are taking steps to try to address the issue.
Some students are dealing with abuse or violence in
the home, neglect, divorce, a death in the family, or perhaps imprisonment of a
parent. Their factors known as ACES – Adverse Childhood Experiences – that
research has found makes children more likely to be depressed and attempt
suicide. DK says, “We need studies to be done on how family court stress is
affecting the family. Parents, children, and even lawyers are committing
suicide that is in the family court system.”
A Republican Senator of Michigan Runestad said we need
to get to the bottom of why this is happening. Runestad believes that a
commission on suicide can provide some answers, but DK thinks they don’t
have a clue. She is interested in seeing what they come up with as the answers.
Check
out Senate Bill 0228.
University of Michigan research suggests the suicides are linked to opiate use, but what about the Saunders Report?
A study out of the University of Michigan known as The
Saunders Report, reveals that when the abusive parents seek custody of the
child/children they win 85% of custody cases. Usually the protective and
mentally stable parent is then concealed from their child/children with no
criminal proof of abuse or even criminal charges of abuse filed. This is
exactly what happened in DK’s case. The abuser seeks custody to control
their victims and not have to pay child support. For someone to go through such
lengths to control and mentally abuse someone, what do you think they will do to
their children?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Michigan suicide rate in Michigan spiked from 1999 to 2016.
Guess when DK went through her divorce? You
guessed it, 1999 and the nationwide rise of suicide rose 25 percent over the
same period. Just a few months ago Deanna was contacted for her Legal Domestic
Abuse Coaching services. The mother had the same judge, GAL, and psychologist
in her case. Deanna at that point could prove those in her custody case had
been providing the same failed services for 20 years. Deanna has also spoken to
a former family court judge who states she had children as young at six years
old in her court who wanted to commit suicide.
Michigan state suggests parents get the Holding on to life tool kit.