Photo: Getty Images
American Idol star Syesha Mercado was joined by her partner, Tyron Deener, and civil rights attorney Ben Crump during a press conference on Tuesday. During the virtual briefing, Mercado and Deener delivered emotional statements as they fight to regain custody of not one, but two of their children.
As previously reported, Mercado and Deener began to run into issues with child protective services earlier this year. After their now 15-month-old son, Amen'Ra, was born, Mercado began to struggle to produce breast milk. Making matters worse, Amen'Ra struggled to accept other fluids. Concerned about their child's well-being, Mercado and Deener took their child to be checked out. After the couple visited John Hopkins All Children's Hospital, CPS was notified and the couple suddenly lost custody of their child. The couple was stunned by this and Mercado's fan began looking into the past of a woman accused of notifying CPS initially. Further research showed that nurse Sally Smith had been previously investigated for potentially placing a child in foster care too quickly.
More recently, things took a turn for the worse. After Mercado gave birth to the couple's second child, Ast, CPS attempted to contact them and arrange a visit. Weary of CPS, the couple told CPS officials to contact their attorney. Instead, CPS officials contacted a local judge, obtained court documents allowing them to take custody of the infant and pulled the couple over as they were driving. During the traffic stop, authorities ripped the young girl from her mother's hands and the couple has been fighting to regain custody ever since.
During the recent press conference, Mercado broke down in tears as she relived this harrowing experience. She often referred to the manner in which CPS took her daughter as "legal kidnapping."
“Amen’Ra was forcefully and legally kidnapped from us by CPS, who claim we refused a B12 shot that was a matter of life and death, which is an absolute lie. We never refused a B12 shot, and at no point was he on the verge of death,” Mercado said.
“My family and I are just one in countless other stories of legal kidnapping that go unheard and unseen.”
Equally shaken up the manner in which his children were taken away, Deener warned other parents that this could potentially happen to them as well.
“If you are a parent, if you are a grandparent, aunt uncle, cousin, just know that we have agencies in place that have the ability to remove children without you breaking the law or abusing your niece, nephew son,” Deener added.
“If this can happen to use, it can happen to you. We have no criminal background. We have no history with DCF. We have done nothing wrong.”
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