Kathy and Ahmed Giwa, with son Ali in the middle. Image courtesy Fox 26 Houston.
UPDATE 12/27/2015
Since the interview below, Health Impact News has received updated information. The Giwas are no longer free to speak to us or to any other media. They were reminded of this during a recent hearing where they were told that they must pay a $5000 fine for exercising their 1st Amendment right to free speech. A court order forbids them to do any fundraising to raise the money to pay the fine.
From the court order obtained by Health Impact News:
Health Impact News has learned that they stand to have their parental rights terminated if they do not pay the fine by January 9.
People are now asking if extortion and blackmail are now among the tools available to family court judges?
Since the judge in this case has forbidden the Giwas to speak with media, advocate Karen Riley recently sent us this alarming message:
I have been following the Giwa story in Houston from the start, and have actually had the pleasure of meeting this family in person while I was in Houston on 12/22/15 to attend a rally on their behalf as well as many other families who have had their children stolen from them by Child Protective Services and the Family Courts.
Mr. and Mrs. Giwa and Mrs. Giwa’s mother are wonderful people. Despite missing their children and having their children ripped from them unfairly and unjustly, right before Christmas, they are very intelligent, very warm and gentle people doing their best to hold themselves together. The Giwa’s are from Nigeria and have dual citizenship there and in the U.S. What has and is happening to this family is no different than what is happening to thousands of other families in the U.S. all across the nation.
Ms. Riley describes how the Giwa children were unjustly taken from their parents, as described in the article below. She alleges that the children are being abused in foster care, and tells about the alarming orders from the judge:
The family was not permitted to see their children for 6 weeks and all three children have been placed in different foster homes, separated from each other as well. It has been reported and documented that when the Giwa’s were allowed to finally see their children a week ago, that the children had cuts, bruises, and marks on them that were recent, but no explanation as to what these injuries are from.
I have also learned that the Giwa’s will not be able to have Christmas with their children, won’t get to see them until some time in January, because the caseworker is going on holiday until then.
The Giwa’s had a hearing a few weeks ago before Judge Phillips where it was stipulated that the case worker/dept. must prove their case against the Giwas or return their children. The caseworker Teri Jones was not present, they could not prove their case against the Giwas, but their children were not returned to them. Instead Judge Phillips slapped the Giwa’s with a $5,000.00 fine for talking to a reporter who has also been following their story and has set in on their hearings. If they don’t pay the fine, he has threatened to terminate their parental rights.
This is an open violation of not only our Constitutional Rights, but our very laws. It is extortion plain and simple.
What is being done to the Giwa family is wrong, and illegal, as it is all across the country. The Giwa children need to be immediately returned home to their family, and Judge Phillips removed from the bench, charged with the crimes he is committing against this family and all those he has wronged in subsequent cases, jailed, and disbarred. Teri Jones and anyone else involved in the illegal kidnapping of the Giwa children should also be arrested and charged with their crimes against families.
Kathy and Ahmed Giwa Discuss the Kidnapping of Their Children in Houston on The National Safe Child Show
Tammi Stefano, host of The National Safe Child Show, on the air with Ahmed and Kathy Giwa said: “We’re going to hear about how Houston has sunk their teeth, I’m just going to say it, sunk their teeth into this families’ bones and held them hostage and they won’t let them go.”
by Orissa Mora-Kent
Health Impact News/MedicalKidnap.com Staff
Tammi Stefano, host of The National Safe Child Show, is joined by Kathy and Ahmed Giwa, a couple who have received national media attention recently. Kathy Giwa has a Ph.D. and is working on her second Ph.D. She is a Texas certified special education teacher, Texas certified principal and also a CPS approved daycare director. Her husband, Ahmed, holds a Masters in Computer Science and also an MBA. Ahmed works for energy companies in Houston, Texas, where they live.
The Giwas are dual citizens of the U.S. and Nigeria. Their children were seized by Texas Rangers at the Dallas airport in November, after Customs and Border Control officers and local police reportedly refused to arrest them due to lack of evidence. Child Protection Services (CPS) was the one recommending the arrest. Ali Giwa, the youngest child, was medically kidnapped on April 14, 2015, by Harris County CPS – a county the family doesn’t even live in – on allegations of “failure to thrive.” Though Ali has some developmental delays, CPS never mentioned to the judge that he is in the 75th percentile with his height and weight. He was returned home on July 29, but the case remained open.
The U.S. Marshal at the Dallas airport allegedly had a private meeting behind closed doors with CPS, and acting on orders from CPS arrested the parents. They were at their gate, ready to board their plane with their car parked in the airport parking garage as they were clearly expecting to come back shortly to their home and jobs in Houston. They were hoping to get to say goodbye to their grandmother on her deathbed in Nigeria (Ahmed’s mother) to fulfill her dying wish.
Without a trial or any charges pressed against the parents, the Giwa family was torn apart when their three young children we removed from their custody at the airport just before Thanksgiving and Christmas. They have not seen their young children for over a month.
They recently told their story to Tammi Stefano on The National Safe Child Show.
Every Parent’s Nightmare
Kathy Giwa
Ahmed Giwa
Tammi asks,
…let me ask the two of you—let’s just get this off the table right now—have you ever been so frustrated that you just wanted to beat your child?
Ahmed and Kathy exclaim,
Never!
Tammi asks,
Did you ever give your child a shot of whiskey because you just couldn’t handle them anymore and you were hoping to put them to sleep?
Ahmed states,
Never. We don’t drink.
Tammi asks,
Any criminal background? Did you ever rob a bank? Did you ever hold somebody up? Anything?
Ahmed states,
Never.
Tammi asks,
Could you say that you feel like you’re in a nightmare?
Kathy says,
Definitely.
Tammi then asks,
Where are you citizens of? Are you U.S. citizens?
Kathy states,
We are U.S. citizens and also Nigerian citizens. We have dual nationality.
Mother Refuses Risky Medical Procedure for Son and is Taken to Court
Tammi then goes on to explain that prior to CPS’ involvement in their lives, Kathy had been traveling abroad with her children. While in England, she was taken to court by the CPS in England–after a pediatrician brought medical neglect charges against Kathy–for refusing to subject her 15 month old son to a very risky, and unnecessary MRI with Anesthesia.
Tammi asks Kathy,
Tell me about that.
Kathy replies,
Well, we had seen this pediatrician who was concerned because I questioned about the side effects of the MRI and I was told that the main problem would be putting the baby to sleep and they couldn’t guarantee he was going to wake up and I questioned would the results have any impact on the correct therapy and he said, ‘no.’
Tammi asks,
Was it [MRI] a necessity? Were you folks in a car accident? Did your child fall down the stairs? Did something happen?
Kathy replies,
Nothing of that sort.
Tammi asks,
Could an MRI have been avoided?
Kathy states,
Definitely.
Tammi asks Kathy about the last meeting she had with the doctor–one where CPS was “lurking, hiding somewhere in the vicinity of hearing”–who didn’t like her authority being questioned.
Tammi inquires of Kathy,
Tell us about that.
Kathy explains,
I didn’t know that their CPS was waiting by the door–because she [the doctor] expected me to argue–because I told them that I questioned the initial doctor.
They did all the blood-work. They couldn’t find anything wrong with the child. She told us to go home because I didn’t argue.
The next day when I called to tell her we didn’t want her services anymore she told their CPS to come and get the kids.
Medical Neglect Charges Withdrawn in UK but England CPS Contacts Texas CPS to Open Case
CPS in England took Kathy to court but then requested to withdraw the case when it became apparent that they were losing and the judge was about to rule against them.
Kathy says,
She [the judge] said, ‘I’m not going to hold this family. I’m not going to hold them back from returning home.’
Not long after they returned home to Houston, Texas from their travel abroad, a knock came on their door. Kathy says the knock came on April 8, 2015–one week after their return–when a CPS caseworker, who had been contacted by the CPS in England showed up at their door. CPS in Houston was led to believe, by the CPS in England, that there was still an open case against the Giwa family.
Kathy says,
They conveniently left out the part that they [England’s CPS] withdrew the case. All the false allegations that they presented to the court was what they gave this CPS office so this CPS office actually thought they had something.
Kathy and Tammi go on to discuss the events following that knock on the door. CPS in Houston insisted that the Giwa’s bring their three children to the E.R. so that their son could get the MRI (the MRI that Kathy Giwa had previously refused based on valid concerns for her son’s safety).
At the time of that hospital trip to the E.R. in Houston, the Giwa’s were under investigation, unbeknownst to them.
Tammi states,
Folks, we have other countries now intermingling with CPS, becoming a world wide connected powerhouse and that is scary. That’s really scary for every parent.
Over a period of seven days the Giwa’s were held in the hospital by CPS and not allowed to leave. The MRI they had refused in England, and other medical tests, were done on their 15 month old child without their consent.
Tammi says,
Folks, slavery is very much alive. Wake up America! This is not the land of the free anymore, and we’re hearing it.
The Giwa’s were told they had to fire their attorney in order to see their child. (The private attorney they had hired when CPS entered their lives.)
Tammi asks,
Can you tell us the name of the attorney?
Kathy replies,
Julie Ketterman, a Family Law Lawyer who has represented thousands of families in Houston, Texas.
Tammi says,
Julie is somebody that we’ve heard about quite often. She actually has a show very much like I do where she is vocalizing what she sees and what parents are experiencing and what’s happening within the system and how families are being affected more or less.
Tammi asks,
Was she a good attorney?
Kathy replies,
Very much so.
Tammi asks,
Who told you ‘fire Julie’?
Kathy answers,
The CPS supervisor.
Breastfeeding Baby not Allowed to be with His Mother Unless She Fires their Private Attorney
This CPS supervisor also prevented Kathy from continuing to breastfeed her son until she fired Julie Ketterman.
Tammi asks,
How long had it been from the time that you had that conversation with him that you saw the child.
Kathy replies,
A week.
Tammi asks,
You hadn’t breastfed your son who was used to breastmilk for a whole week? He was denied his mother’s breastmilk?
Kathy replies,
Correct. CPS actually told me not to breastfeed him because they ‘have a different plan for him.’
Kathy goes on to explain to Tammi that not only was she being denied the right to breastfeed her 15 month old son, they were also wanting to put the child on a feeding tube because he wasn’t eating the hospital food. Kathy explains to Tammi that her son eats an African diet – he is not accustomed to the American diet served in the hospital. Her child lost weight during his hospital stay–not being breastfed and not being allowed access to his traditional diet–being forced onto hospital food was apparently not in his ‘best interest.’
Kathy fired her attorney, Julie Ketterman, so that she could she her child again. CPS then offered the Giwa’s a court appointed attorney, but the Giwa’s turned that one down to hire another private attorney. During this time they would not release her son from the hospital back into his parent’s care. They [CPS] were accusing the Giwa’s of medical neglect because Kathy refused the MRI back in England.
Tammi asks,
Do you have your children today, Kathy and Ahmed?
Kathy and Ahmed reply,
No.
Parents a Danger to their Child? CPS Visits Home Unannounced 26 Times in 2 Months
Kathy explains that although they do not currently have any of their children, at one point only one twin was taken into CPS’ custody while the other two children were left in their parent’s custody. Then he was brought home and allowed to stay with his parents for two months before CPS swooped back in to take him back and with him, his two siblings as well.
From July 29 to September the Giwa’s were visited 26 times by CPS, CASA, the caseworkers, the court appointed attorney for the case–constantly showing up–without any warning. They traumatized the family, sometimes showing up at midnight unannounced, according to Kathy Giwa.
If the Giwas were truly believed to be a danger to their child, why did CPS bring the child back temporarily for a two month stay with mom and dad? Why weren’t all three children removed together, at the beginning? If the parents were not a danger, as the yo-yo actions suggest, CPS made a grave error taking the children in the first place. Such actions suggest that the children’s removal was never motivated out of concern for the children’s safety. Perhaps, the children were serving some ulterior motive of CPS at whim. Ripped from their parents loving arms by strangers, put back and then taken away again–when they were happy to stay there in the first place–who are the real abusers?
Tammi asks,
How were your children reacting to all of this chaos?
Kathy replies,
It was really traumatic. We could see the confusion when they had those strangers come into the house.
Tammi asks,
During the two months, did they ever make any allegations that there was a safety risk that you or your husband posed against the children that caused them to again remove your son from his loving parents?
Kathy states,
We actually have a document from them in writing that states that he was doing perfectly. The CPS doctor said it was very well. CPS agreed he was doing fantastic at home actually.
Tammi inquires,
He gained weight again – because he had lost some weight [while away from his parents]?
Kathy answers,
He gained weight and he made a lot of progress with his developmental milestones.
Tammi asks,
How old is your son right now?
Kathy answers,
He’s two.
Tammi asks,
Does he call you Mom?
Kathy explains,
Well, we haven’t seen him in a whole month. We don’t know how he is right now, but before he left home he called me ‘Mommy.’
Tammi asks,
Did he laugh a lot?
Kathy says,
Yes.
Tammi asks,
When he was taken from you, did you see a behavioral change, a sadness, a different look in his eye when he first came home?
Tammi asks specifically for Ahmed’s interpretation as well, to get the father’s perspective on the changes they noticed in their son over the course of time since he was taken from them and brought back (briefly).
Ahmed expresses,
His countenance changed, when they brought him back initially in July. …seeing his other siblings… He started changing, he became a happy kid. Even in October when one of the lawyers came, he saw him [our son] at home – he was very happy. He [the lawyer] said he was really improved.
Tammi says,
Then they come back in and take him again and put this child through the trauma of having this severe–potential–attachment disorder because they’re taking a young child away from the bond of the parents.
Ahmed says,
Correct. Correct. Definitely visibly very, very traumatic for him.
Meanwhile Grandmother in Nigeria Taken Ill to Deathbed Has “Dying Wish” to see Grandchildren
Tammi then discusses the event of Ahmed’s mother taking ill during all of this trauma happening.
Tammi asks,
Somebody in your family got very ill, unfortunately. Is that right?
Ahmed replies,
That’s right. That was my mom.
Tammi asks,
When did that happen?
Ahmed says,
Right now, she’s on her sickbed. Her last wish is to see her grandchildren.
Tammi asks,
Does it seem like your mom is going to survive?
Ahmed states,
No. She’s on her sickbed. She’s on her deathbed.
The Giwa family (all three of their children included) were granted special visas to go back to Nigeria to say farewell to their dying grandmother based on the documented evidence of Ahmed’s mother’s grim health conditions.
Tammi asks,
On November 6th your plane was scheduled to take off and take you folks to your Mom?
Ahmed replies,
To Nigeria, correct. That was on November 7th.
Exigent Visas Granted yet Parents Arrested at Gate for “International Kidnapping”
The Giwa’s were scheduled to depart from Dallas, Texas on November 7th. After all of their luggage was checked, after they had passed through airport security, they were detained by Customs at their gate. Two CPS social workers were also present at the gate. (These CPS social workers were from Dallas, not Houston where the case originated.)
Kathy says,
CPS had flagged the children’s name with the airport authority. The local CPS in Dallas came down based on the instruction of the CPS here in Houston.
Tammi asks,
What was the instruction?
Kathy replies,
To arrest us for international kidnapping.
Tammi exclaims,
Kidnapping your children?
Kathy replies,
Exactly why the airport authorities refused to comply with their demand.
The Customs workers refused to fulfill CPS’ demand for the Giwa’s arrest since they had a legal visa to leave the country with their children to see their dying grandmother. However, CPS didn’t give up.
Tammi asks,
So you got on the plane, right?
Kathy replies,
Well, CPS didn’t let us.
Tammi asks,
CPS stayed in the airport?
Kathy answers,
Yes. And this was a federal jurisdiction where we were but CPS wouldn’t let us go. They called the airport police and told them to do the same and they didn’t agree so they got the Texas Ranger to arrest us.
Tammi inquires,
Did you see them [the airport police]? Did they speak with you?
Kathy says,
Well, they spoke with the federal authorities who told them they weren’t going to press charges – they were going to let us go. So they [airport police] said, ‘well we’re not going to get involved either because they don’t see any reason why we should.’
Tammi states,
But the CPS social workers, they won’t accept not getting their way.
When everything else had failed, CPS called the Marshals to come to the airport. (Federal authorities and local police had already declined to press charges against Kathy and Ahmed.) Were the Marshals even acting within their jurisdiction?
The Marshal Went into a Private Room with the CPS Workers?
Kathy explains,
They invited the Marshal inside a private room. When he came out he said he was just going to arrest us so CPS could take all the kids.
Tammi asks incredulously,
The Marshals went in a private room with the CPS workers?
Kathy affirms,
Correct.
Tammi asks,
For how long?
Kathy replies,
For about twenty minutes.
Tammi asks,
Where were you and the children during this time? And Ahmed?
Kathy answers,
We were in a room.
Tammi asks,
So you didn’t have your children in your arms?
Kathy replies,
No.
Tammi then inquires,
Did the Marshals ever ask you for any paperwork?
Kathy replies,
Nope.
Tammi asks,
They just said…?
Kathy relates,
‘We’re holding you for CPS. I’m arresting you and holding you for CPS.’
$10,000 Bond Set for Each Parent
Tammi says,
Last I knew folks, law enforcement didn’t work for CPS. Maybe the rules are changing. Maybe in Dallas… maybe Dallas is the forerunner in law enforcement–Marshals nonetheless–working for social workers. Many of whom only have a high school education.
Tammi then asks,
Did they take your children?
Kathy replies,
Yes, they did.
Tammi asks,
Did your children cry?
Ahmed says,
Yeah, they were crying.
Tammi inquires,
Were you put in jail?
Ahmed and Kathy say,
Yes.
Tammi asks,
For how long?
Ahmed answers,
We bonded out the next day.
Tammi asks,
How much of a bond?
Ahmed replies,
$10,000 on each one of us.
Tammi asks,
What were the charges? Kidnapping?
Kathy answers,
Interfering with child custody.
Tammi asks,
Who had custody of your children?
Kathy says,
CPS took them.
Tammi asks,
But before that? How can you interfere with custody. They were in your care and custody, weren’t they?
Kathy explains that even though the boy was at home at the time, CPS still had legal custody of him. CPS never had custody of the other two children whom they also took at the airport that day.
CPS Lied to U.S. Marshal?
Kathy explains,
What they presented to the Marshal was that they had custody of all three children.
Tammi asks,
When you came out of jail where were your children?
Ahmed answers,
I sent a text to the CPS caseworker: ‘Where are my children? I need to come take my children.’ She said at that point that they don’t have any plans of returning the children to us.
Tammi then inquired if any social worker, caseworker or supervisor who was assigned to the Giwa’s case had ever been taken off the case. Kathy relates that a supervisor was removed from their case. She’s no longer with the agency.
Tammi warns,
Folks–it’s really important if you have a CPS case–you must, must, must watch the social workers. If a social worker gets pulled off of your case, be concerned.
Tammi then asks,
Who is the judge in this case?
Kathy answers,
It’s Judge John Philips.
Tammi asks,
Do you speak in court?
Kathy replies,
Yes.
Tammi asks,
Does he listen?
Kathy says soberly,
We hope so.
Tammi says,
I hope so too.
Tammi asks if they’ve been given any reason why they can’t see their children.
Ahmed explains,
We have communicated via email several times. There has been no response.
Kathy explains that when they called and emailed trying to reach the case worker, they were told that ‘she is on vacation.’ They were told they would be contacted when she got back. She didn’t contact them when she got back.
“Save the Giwa Children!” Source: Facebook page.
Parents are Fighting to Get Their Children Returned to Them
It’s been over a month since the Giwa’s have seen their children. They have learned that their three children are not even being kept in the same foster home.
Tammi asks,
The twins are not together?
Kathy answers,
The twins have been separated. From the day they took them they never put them in the same foster home.
Tammi states,
National Safe Child wants to help this case. I don’t know what went wrong. I know that this is wrong and these children are suffering.
Tammi calls for action,
We would like to invite some advocates, some proactive, vocal, caring people; not to have a protest but to put out a hand, to give a shoulder and to show CPS that these folks have had enough.
Tammi asks Kathy and Ahmed if they are scared they will be thrown in jail again, if they are scared of the CPS workers, and if they are scared they will never see their children again.
Kathy and Ahmed reply,
Yes!
Tammi warns,
For everybody that’s listening right now. You are holding an invisible number if you are a parent. Do not think that these folks have done something that is not being disclosed during this program.
They have been scrutinized by several different media platforms.
There have been articles written about them and this situation.
They have had law enforcement look at the CPS workers and say, ‘we will not participate in this nonsense, this activity, because we stand for something.’
These folks have had their children removed for no reason.
Kathy and Ahmed have completed every demand of CPS and yet their children have not been returned to them. They did parenting classes, provided proof of secured income, a secure home for the children and also did multiple psychological evaluations. The first evaluation done by an independent psychologist was not accepted by CPS. Kathy says none of these things have made CPS stop.
We Need to Stop This!
Tammi asks,
Mr. and Mrs. Giwa, America is not what you thought it was, is it?
Kathy replies,
No.
Tammi asks,
Do you wish that you would have just stayed in Nigeria?
Stayed in England?
Stayed anywhere?
Kathy says,
Definitely.
Tammi expresses,
I’m ashamed on behalf of this country and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that it has taken such an ugly, horrific and failed direction. It does not speak for all of us.
Tammi closes by saying,
We need to stop it folks… we must stop it. Not with fighting. Not with guns. Not with violence. With brains. With our intellect. With unity. With perseverance. And with saying, ‘we will not accept this criminal activity from the very government that we have appointed anymore.’
How You Can Help
Greg Abbott is the Governor of Texas, and he may be reached at (512) 463-2000, or contacted here. He also has a Facebook page.
Ken Paxton is the Attorney General of Texas. He may be reached at (877) 673-6839, or contacted here.
A Facebook page has been set up by supporters for the family – Save Ali Giwa from Harris County Child Protective Services.
“Save Ali Giwa from Harris County Child Protective Service.” Source: Facebook page.
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See Also:
Texas CPS Kidnaps 19-month Old Child for “Failure to Thrive”
Houston Couple Gagged and Told to Fire CPS-fighting Attorney in Order to See Medically-Kidnapped Child
Couple Arrested and Children Taken by CPS When Trying to Leave Texas to Visit Dying Grandmother
Other stories of alleged CPS abuse against Texas families include: