Michigan judge detains children for refusing lunch with their father

A Michigan judge ordered three children 15, 10 and 9
years old be sent to a juvenile detention facility until
they were 18-years-old after the trio refused to go to
lunch with their father.
Judge Lisa Gorcyca told the mother and children that
the case, stemming from a contentious divorce that
began in 2009, was tied for the worst "parental
alienation" case she had ever seen. She blamed the
mother for alienating the two older boys and their
younger sister from their father.
"Your children, you need to do a research program on
Charlie Manson and the cult that he has," the judge
told the mother, according to court transcripts.
During the hearing, the son attempted to explain to
Gorcyca why he didn't want to spend time with his
dad. "Because he is violent and I saw him hit my
mom," the boy said in court documents.
Gorcyca claimed the child had been brainwashed and
held all three in contempt of court and sent them to
the Children's Village, a detention facility, where they
were to be held until they turn 18-years-old.
"I felt like I was watching them being executed," the
children's mother said. "No matter how bad the
divorce gets, I think the court should not punish the
kids for that."
The children remained in custody Thursday, according
to the office of attorney Lisa Stern, who is
representing the mother.
"I have been doing family law for 20 years and
I must say this shocks the conscience," Stern
said. "I think we have a court with the best
interest of children in mind. I think the judge
was very concerned about the reunification of
this family, but went about it the wrong way."
The father's lawyer, Keri Middleditch, said the
situation was traumatic for everyone involved.
"It is unfortunate that the children are in
shelter care due to the actions of their
mother," she said in a statement on Thursday.
Middleditch said the mother "has continued to
endorse the children's behavior that she successfully
instilled in them, effectively alienating them from their
father. The court took severe action to attempt to
remedy a heart-wrenching situation, solely created"
by the mother.
On Thursday, a lawyer in the judge's office, Amanda
Murley, said Gorcyca was "unable to comment"
because of the ongoing case.

Source: My Fox Detroit