Caroline Rice and Brent Rice, of Chanhassen, Minnesota, divorced in 2004, and have been involved in custody battles over their five children ever since. Full custody was awarded to Brent Rice, even though the children said he was abusive. In 2010 the youngest child, 13 at the time, ran away, met up with her mother, and they fled to Canada. When Caroline Rice returned to the United States, she was charged with depriving parental rights.
Last week, the Minnesota Court of Appeals overturned the conviction, saying that Judge Richard C. Perkins and prosecutors conspired to deprive Rice of her civil rights and access to due process.
Update: Long custody battle produces guilty verdict, on ChanVillager.com.
A Mother’s Love: Caroline Marie Halonen-Rice jailed for protecting her children in her daughter’s own words a plea for help, for justice, for love, on ABatteredMother.wordpress.com.
Minnesota court overturns Mom’s conviction, sends message of hope, on WashingtonTimes.com, written by Anne Stevenson, a Lovefraud reader.
bluejay
This woman and her children have gone through the fire, being very brave, resilient souls. I am sorry for all that they have gone through. May God’s Peace be with them, always.
LL Mequon
Thoughts and prayers to this brave woman and her children. Hopefully this will help to educate the courts about the manipulative and destructive behavior of sociopathic parents. I believe it is a parent’s obligation to do what is right for her children, no matter what. This mother put it all on the line to protect her child. My admiration goes out to her.
liferaft2
Is it possible that Minnesota is beginning to come to its senses? I remember a disturbing court ruling a few years ago, which forced a child to undergo chemotherapy against the objections of his parents. I guess some crooked lawyer had convinced the jury that it was in the child’s best interests to be forcibly poisoned, and therefore that the mother’s protective concerns constituted neglect and would cause harm to the child. A lot they know.
Stargazer
This is great that the conviction was overturned. But it’s not enough. Now the judge and all his minions need to be held accountable, and Caroline and her children must be compensated for what they have been through. Although no amount of money could ever replace the lost years of running, hiding, and the miseries of jail, I hope this family is compensated and that they can make something positive come from all of their trauma. Sometimes the justice system works and sometimes it doesn’t. And sadly, when it doesn’t, lives are destroyed.