International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation Volume 6 2023 140
He would repeatedly promise that her children would
be returned “any day now” (Wells, &Scheck, 2021).
When that did not happen promptly, Petrie-Blanchard
took matters into her own hands. In March 2020,
Petrie-Blanchard kidnapped her twin daughters during
a scheduled visit to her mother’s home. While on the
run, Petrie-Blanchard posted messages on Facebook
that were straight out of the sovereign citizen playbook.
For instance, she wrote:
A Cestui que vie trust is a variation on Strawman
Theory, that a fictitious trust with a great deal of
associated money is associated with the Strawman.
Strawman Theory is a near-universal concept in
pseudolaw populations. Petrie-Blanchard was not on
the run for long, but an associate of Hallett then bailed
Petrie-Blanchard out of jail.
Once released, Petrie-Blanchard continued spending
time with Hallett and his associates. Hallett continued
his promises that he could not keep about the
impending return of Petrie-Blanchard’s children. He
told her that Donald Trump was personally involved in
her case (Wells, &Scheck, 2021). Trump, she was told,
was even planning to create a new Justice Department,
and wanted Petrie-Blanchard to be involved (Wells, &
Scheck, 2021). There is no evidence that Trump was
aware of any of these claims, or that he even knew
Hallett and/or Petrie-Blanchard. Instead, during legal
proceedings the court “declined to entertain [Hallett’s]
fantasy that he is acting at the behest of the President”
(Sommer, 2020).
Petrie-Blanchard grew increasingly paranoid about
those around her, especially Hallett. She eventually
came to believe that he was conspiring with the
government to keep her children away from her
(Boyce, 2020). Soon thereafter, she decided to kill
Hallett. An eyewitness saw Petrie-Blanchard standing
with a pistol, yelling to Hallett that “you’re hurting my
children, you bastard.” Petrie-Blanchard then shot and
killed Hallett (Nashrulla, 2020). Petrie-Blanchard is
I do not consent, I do not contract, I do not
acquiesce nor trade, or allow access or enquiry
to my nor my children’s Cestui que vie trust. All
deemed authorities are now notified &therefore
have no legal jurisdiction against me, I am now
not ‘deemed dead lost at sea’ (Sommer, 2020).
currently awaiting trial in Florida.
D. Non-E~Clause Cases
Other QAnon/sovereign citizen hybrid child custody
matters do not involve E~Clause. These include
examples from outside the United States.
1. Sarah Stanley
Sarah Stanley and her ex-partner, Lee Jennings, are
the parents of River Stanley. The couple never married
and separated months after the child was born (Eaton,
2022a). A difficult custody fight ensued. After dozens
of court hearings and unsubstantiated claims of abuse
by Stanley against Jennings, Jennings was granted
permanent full custody and requested sole custody.
Eventually, the court ordered the sheriff to acquire the
child from the mother to give him to Jennings. Stanley
rejected that order, and the police were unable to locate
her after she went into hiding with the child (Eaton,
2022a). Stanley claimed to be staying in a safe house at
an undisclosed location.
Though Stanley refused to reveal her location, she did
participate in several interviews. In one interview with
Nate Eaton of the East Idaho News, Stanley indicated
that she and her son were safe, and that she had not
committed any crimes. Stanley, instead, accused the
government of participating in a “witch hunt.” She
informed Eaton that the “courts don’t have power over
[her]” and that she was “standing up for my rights and
being retaliated against.” The family court system,
Stanley explained, is a:
for-profit corporation ...the largest human
trafficking sector in the state ...I have not done
one wrong thing. I do not consent [to the
proceedings]. You need my consent. What is the
opposite of not consent? It’s rape. And that is
what the court system is. It is a legal rape system.
They need my consent per the Constitution to
continue what they’re doing and they do not
have my consent ...[I will not] co-parent with
the government ...
(Eaton, 2022a).
He would repeatedly promise that her children would
be returned “any day now” (Wells, &Scheck, 2021).
When that did not happen promptly, Petrie-Blanchard
took matters into her own hands. In March 2020,
Petrie-Blanchard kidnapped her twin daughters during
a scheduled visit to her mother’s home. While on the
run, Petrie-Blanchard posted messages on Facebook
that were straight out of the sovereign citizen playbook.
For instance, she wrote:
A Cestui que vie trust is a variation on Strawman
Theory, that a fictitious trust with a great deal of
associated money is associated with the Strawman.
Strawman Theory is a near-universal concept in
pseudolaw populations. Petrie-Blanchard was not on
the run for long, but an associate of Hallett then bailed
Petrie-Blanchard out of jail.
Once released, Petrie-Blanchard continued spending
time with Hallett and his associates. Hallett continued
his promises that he could not keep about the
impending return of Petrie-Blanchard’s children. He
told her that Donald Trump was personally involved in
her case (Wells, &Scheck, 2021). Trump, she was told,
was even planning to create a new Justice Department,
and wanted Petrie-Blanchard to be involved (Wells, &
Scheck, 2021). There is no evidence that Trump was
aware of any of these claims, or that he even knew
Hallett and/or Petrie-Blanchard. Instead, during legal
proceedings the court “declined to entertain [Hallett’s]
fantasy that he is acting at the behest of the President”
(Sommer, 2020).
Petrie-Blanchard grew increasingly paranoid about
those around her, especially Hallett. She eventually
came to believe that he was conspiring with the
government to keep her children away from her
(Boyce, 2020). Soon thereafter, she decided to kill
Hallett. An eyewitness saw Petrie-Blanchard standing
with a pistol, yelling to Hallett that “you’re hurting my
children, you bastard.” Petrie-Blanchard then shot and
killed Hallett (Nashrulla, 2020). Petrie-Blanchard is
I do not consent, I do not contract, I do not
acquiesce nor trade, or allow access or enquiry
to my nor my children’s Cestui que vie trust. All
deemed authorities are now notified &therefore
have no legal jurisdiction against me, I am now
not ‘deemed dead lost at sea’ (Sommer, 2020).
currently awaiting trial in Florida.
D. Non-E~Clause Cases
Other QAnon/sovereign citizen hybrid child custody
matters do not involve E~Clause. These include
examples from outside the United States.
1. Sarah Stanley
Sarah Stanley and her ex-partner, Lee Jennings, are
the parents of River Stanley. The couple never married
and separated months after the child was born (Eaton,
2022a). A difficult custody fight ensued. After dozens
of court hearings and unsubstantiated claims of abuse
by Stanley against Jennings, Jennings was granted
permanent full custody and requested sole custody.
Eventually, the court ordered the sheriff to acquire the
child from the mother to give him to Jennings. Stanley
rejected that order, and the police were unable to locate
her after she went into hiding with the child (Eaton,
2022a). Stanley claimed to be staying in a safe house at
an undisclosed location.
Though Stanley refused to reveal her location, she did
participate in several interviews. In one interview with
Nate Eaton of the East Idaho News, Stanley indicated
that she and her son were safe, and that she had not
committed any crimes. Stanley, instead, accused the
government of participating in a “witch hunt.” She
informed Eaton that the “courts don’t have power over
[her]” and that she was “standing up for my rights and
being retaliated against.” The family court system,
Stanley explained, is a:
for-profit corporation ...the largest human
trafficking sector in the state ...I have not done
one wrong thing. I do not consent [to the
proceedings]. You need my consent. What is the
opposite of not consent? It’s rape. And that is
what the court system is. It is a legal rape system.
They need my consent per the Constitution to
continue what they’re doing and they do not
have my consent ...[I will not] co-parent with
the government ...
(Eaton, 2022a).
