The Orwellian nightmare continues.
A judge in Cook County (Chicago) told a mother she could get her parental rights back after she receives an inoculation for COVID.
A Chicago mother says a Cook County judge has taken away her parental rights after learning that she is not vaccinated against COVID-19.
In what all parties agree is a very unusual and perhaps unprecedented step, a judge at Chicago’s Daley Center has stripped Rebecca Firlit of custody because she refuses to get a vaccination shot.
Firlit appeared in court via Zoom along with her ex-husband for a child support hearing involving their 11-year-old son. The two have been divorced for seven years and share custody and parenting time.
She says out of the blue, Cook County Judge James Shapiro asked her whether she had been vaccinated. Firlit told Shapiro she had not because she has had bad reactions to vaccines in the past.
Shapiro then ordered that Firlit be stripped of all parenting time with her son until she gets vaccinated.
Over the past two weeks, Firlit has been able to talk to her son on the phone and through video calls, but has not seen him in person.
Firlit is now appealing the court order, saying the judge has no business taking away her parenting rights simply because she’s not vaccinated.
Annette Fernholz, Firlit's attorney, says the judge has overstepped his authority.
Leving believes the judge is breaking new ground that could now play out in other custody cases. There is no timetable on when the appellate court will make its decision.