Lawsuit: Judson Center Adoption Agency

Ahmed and Rehab Amer and their son, Hussein are suing Judson Center,  two Judson Center employees, and three state human services department workers.

Twenty-five years ago their son Samier died. The parents were accused of homicide, but after Samier was exhumed, it was determined that he had suffered ” from a rare, undiagnosed condition known as brittle bone disease. The disease, said the examiner, was the biggest contributing factor to his death and finally Samier’s official cause of death was changed to accidental.”

Even though the Amer’s were acquitted, state social workers took custody of their daughter born 4 months after the acquittal.That child and two others were eventually adopted to a Pentecostal couple. The Amer’s went to great length to raise their fifth child, Hussein, whom they raised as a nephew to prevent him from being taken by state social workers.

This case was the basis for the law dubbed the Amer Act, “which prevents State agencies from putting other families through the same pain and injustice. HB4118 protects Michigan families by ensuring that children are placed with relatives whenever possible and safe. Former Governor Jennifer Granholm signed the act into law before leaving office in December 2010.”

“These are some of the key allegations in the suit:

— The defendants harassed key witnesses in an attempt to force Rehab Amer to admit guilt in Samier’s death as a condition of regaining custody of their other children.

— The defendants attempted to, and did, curtail the Amers’ visitations with their children by limiting the visits in time, destroying gifts, and otherwise placing unreasonable restrictions on the visits.

— Before Rehab’s trial, the Judson Center created a treatment plan that said the children would be returned to the Amers within six months if she was acquitted, but reneged on the deal.”

Amers file suit in federal court
[Press and Guide 3/18/11 by J. Patrick Pepper]

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