Family court forcibly removes children from father’s family, places them in reunification camp

Two Santa Cruz children were physically removed from their aunt's home by “transporters” and taken to a reunification camp by court order last Thursday. Reunification camps are a controversial method in which children are removed from their preferred parent or safe parent, despite their allegations of abuse or mistreatment directed towards the other parent. After their parents divorced a few years ago, Maya Laing, 15, and Sebastian Laing, 11, live with their father and stepmother who are their preferred parents. About a year ago, Maya began to voice claims of abuse by her mother. Santa Cruz family court appointed a reunification therapist to Maya and Sebastian’s case who then had them placed in a reunification camp based on claims of their father “alienating” them from their mother. Maya and Sebastian’s story is one within the family court system where reunification is commonplace.