PONTIAC, Mich. – Update: An Oakland County judge has decided to release three siblings from a detention center after she sent them there last month when they refused to meet with their father. The children will be placed in a summer camp where their parents will be allowed to visit with a supervisor.
Backstory:
Before Oakland County Judge Lisa Gorcyca tossed three children into a detention center last month for refusing to spend time with their own father, the oldest sibling, who is 14 years old, told the judge he witnessed his father, Omer Tsimhoni, abuse his mother, Maya.
That was the teen's basis for why he doesn't want anything to do with his father.
Gorcyca responded with, "Your father is well-liked and loved by the community, his coworkers, his family, his colleagues. You, young man, have got it wrong."
Gorcyca also placed the teen's 10-year-old and 9-year-old siblings in Children's Village.
Beth Morrison is president and CEO of Haven. It's a non profit that helps victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. She's concerned about the impact of the judge's sentence, specifically the impact on abuse victims.
"If I reach out for help, whether it's through the legal system or other systems, I fear that I am going to be blamed. I am going to lose my children," she said.
Omer Tsimhoni has never been charged with any abuse. A family friend denied any abuse ever occurred.
"Mr. Tsimhoni has great respect for the court and the legal system. He is a loving, caring father who desires a healthy relationship with his children," the statement reads.
Morrison said she does know the facts of this particular case, but she says victims of abuse need to trust their voices will be taken seriously.
"We want them to be heard and listened. We want them to feel that there is some support for them," she said.
34059746