I have sent this to all major newspapers and media outlets coast to coast. Forward if you feel you this message speaks to you.
SIT DOWN AMERICA DAY
LABOR DAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2003
As the mother of four, a woman divorced and separated
from family, and an American citizen who loves my
country, I would like to share a message with you.
Let us make this Labor Day, September 1, 2003 Sit Down
America Day. This Labor Day, please America join with
me in sitting down.
We, as a nation, are moving too fast.
We, as a neighbor in our global village, are out of
control.
We, as a country in spirit,
have forgotten how to
weave the fabric in family that binds our nature
together.
This past February, 2003 I traveled to the country of
Costa Rica to protect and save my daughter, Nicole
Helene Deniken, from the Academy at Dundee Ranch, a
behavior modification institute advertised by its
World Wide Association of Specialty Programs (WWASP)
as a "Paradise for Troubled Teens." It was everything
but this. Nicole endured 6 months of physical and
psychological "treatment" from staff who were neither
degreed nor licensed in practicing
medicine or
psychology. Most were former hotel and tourist
industry workers. The director was degreed in
mechanical engineering. Nicole was sent in violation
of a 1996 North Carolina custody order in which I am
the defendant. Even though I formally declared that I
forbid my daughter, Nicole to be sent out of nation to
be treated for her issues of family, I was powerless
to stop this. I contacted family attorneys, legal
aid, police and politicians, family and friends. No
one stopped Nicole from enduring 6 months of stress
and trauma because she had been labeled a "troubled
teen."
I arrived in Costa Rica in February and visited
Nicole. I found her to be confused, depressed,
stunned, traumatized. I went to remove her since I
had joint custody. The staff held me off implementing
the wishes of her father who paid the $30,000
treatment fee.
The second week after arriving in Costa Rica, a
custody hearing was called for by Nicole?s father and
held in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Judge Joseph
Setzer awarded full custody to Nicole?s father even
though she was sent out of nation and I followed to
guarantee her safety. I faxed this judge asking for a
postponement. I could not get anyone in Goldsboro,
including legal aid, to represent us. Nevertheless, I
stayed in Costa Rica working for her release.
After
networking for 3 months, I was able to convince a
Costa Rican prosecuting attorney to visit this
facility. Fernando Vargas closed the facility within
hours of his initial visit. He informed the 200
mostly white American teens that they were protected
by United Nations Human Rights. If aged fifteen or
older, they could leave if they felt harmed. Eight
American teens, worth at least $30,000 each, running
barefoot down the dirt road outside of the compound
carrying their belongings in
pillowcases is one of the
moments captured by the leading Spanish newspaper, Al
Dia. Many teens returned home to their families.
Some did not. They have been forwarded to other WWASP
programs in the United States and Jamaica that have
been cited with worse conditions than Dundee. Even
though I went to the compound on the Friday following
the closing I was not allowed to see her. In an act
of deception, the Dundee staff took her off campus and
flew her out of San Jose as I was told to wait in the
Director?s office with a representative from
the
American Embassy. Nevertheless, in God?s full grace,
Nicole safely returned to these United States on May
23, 2003, her 15th birthday. In June, I returned to
America to no home with no money. I had sold my car
to pay for this journey. I lost a family and home
that I had built and loved in Virginia to yet another family custody court as I decided to leave for Costa Rica to protect my daughter. If I had to, I would
do it again.
My daughter was lucky. She roomed with a girl
from
Alabama whose mother paid two men to break into her
home, handcuff her in front of her boyfriend, remove
her from her home and escort her to Dundee. There are
more stories. I am gathering them on a YAHOO! GROUP
site,
[email protected] Wilson Acres, Apartment E3
Greenville, North Carolina 27834
(252) 329 - 8922
