Contact: Fred and Michelle Dinwiddie, 731-499-7471; Patrick Michael McGraw, Attorney for Plaintiffs, 540-904-5704,
patmcgrawlaw@cox.net
ROANOKE, Va., April 18, 2011 /
Christian Newswire/ -- A lawsuit has been filed Virginia Federal Court concerning violations of Parental Rights by a Virginia couple. Fred and Michelle Dinwiddie formerly of Giles County, Virginia have filed the lawsuit against 30 defendants regarding the removal of their children in March of 2008 for allegedly abusing and abandoning their children.
The Dinwiddie's children were removed for 8 months total and placed in foster homes throughout the New River Valley some up to two hours away from they're home. Although the Dinwiddie's were found to be innocent of the charges at tax payer expense the local Department of Social Services chose to keep their children and impose a host of "Community Services" upon the parents and their children in a prolonged effort to keep them separated rather than reunify the family.
Details of the lawsuit show that while the parents were suffering at the hands of authorities, the children were suffering at the hands of social workers, foster parents, therapists, foster care agencies, and even other foster children. In a 36 page document filed in Federal Court the Dinwiddie's assert that the Defendants violated their Constitutional Rights and accuse the defendants of Fraud, Defamation, Tortious Interference with Custodial Rights, Breach of Duty of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, Breach of Lawful Duty (Negligence), Breach of Written, Oral, and Implied Contract, Common Law Conspiracy under Virginia Law, and lastly Business Conspiracy.
"Before my children were taken into foster care they were polite and respectful towards each other and ourselves as parents but after their foster care experience we noticed a marked change for the worse regarding their attitude and behavior," said Fred Dinwiddie. "It took a long time for them to readjust and tell us their experiences, fears, and apprehensions related to being in foster care. They had lost respect for us because they felt we couldn't protect them anymore."
Michael Dinwiddie also listed as a Plaintiff in the suit is serving in Afghanistan.
Videos of the Dinwiddies visiting with their children: