Posted to MediaSyndicate.com (Jul 07, 2005 - 02:06 AM) : A Chicago mother has fought since mid 2002 for the return of her children held captive by the State of Illinois. Her two daughters Ariella and Eifrat Kauffman, ages 13 and 10, were removed from her care by the Department of Children and Family Services, for what they told her was to be a 90-day mental health evaluation period. The State refused to give the girls back to their mother and has continued to force drug them without parental consent. Both girls have been restrained numerous times to the point of bruising.

The State Attorney General’s office closed the phones to the public when an onslaught of phone calls flooded in on Thursday regarding the Kauffman children, ages 10 and 13, who are being held by the State of Illinois. These children are being administered psychiatric drugs, some which are not FDA approved for use in children and carry black box warnings on their labels. The State of Illinois never obtained proper and full informed consent prior to “treatment�. Parental consent was not given. Mrs. Ayella Kauffman, the girl’s mother, was never provided with any valid, objective medical reason why her children are being forced drugged with powerful psychiatric agents.

The State has made several accusations regarding Mrs. Kauffman’s credibility, which they have failed to substantiate. These allegations have stigmatized Mrs. Kauffman and her ability to effectively fight on behalf of her children. A clear example of this is the Chicago Police Department’s failure to take Mrs. Kauffman’s many complaints seriously and investigate this urgent matter, jeopardizing her children’s safety.

Compelling photographs of Ariella and Eifrat Kauffman on Ablechild’s home page (See http://www.ablechild.org/kauffman/american_children_trapped_in%20illinois.htm) has driven a firestorm into the State Attorney General’s Office, leading to the shutdown of phone access for the public and their right to petition its own government.

“It is very sad when a parent asks the State to help improve their parenting skills and they get their children taken from them and force fed mental health programs that are not only ineffective, but that are downright dangerous,� says Patricia Weathers, President of Ablechild.org a non profit 501c(3) organization.