Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2002, Page 61
Social Services. ''He's not some nut he was educated at Princeton. Our focus is that two
babies are dead and we don't want any more.''
The Corneaus are the focus of a debate that pits an individual's right to practice religion
against the state's responsibility to protect children. The couple's four known children are in
the custody of DSS, placed there after Nassif found them in need of protection from ''a
bizarre and dangerous cult.''
Nassif already has awarded custody to the state. ''We can't take chances with a baby's life,''
says Yelverton. ''Given the history, we have to take every precaution. We would do that in
any case.''
Well, not every case. Just last week, Eric E.G. James of Roxbury was charged with an
assault that left his 2-month-old son near death. James had history. In October 2000, he
was living with his girlfriend when her 1-month-old son was beaten to death. That homicide
case is still open. DSS found evidence of abuse, but did not keep tabs on Christine
Carreiro's roommates or her reproductive state. ''We can't wait by the door to see if a
couple has another baby,'' says Yelverton. But didn't DSS do just that in the Corneau case?
''No,'' she says. ''We were called by people who saw her pregnant and in active labor.''
The vigilance of our child protection system, then, is dependent on the presence or absence
of nosy neighbors? Or a judge and a guardian ad litem with an agenda.
The conventional role of guardian ad litem is to provide an independent evaluation of a
family's situation to the court. Pardon clearly had other interests in October 2000 when
Nassif named him guardian for Katerina Corneau, the baby born in a prison hospital after
Nassif jailed Rebecca for refusing to submit to medical exams prohibited by her religious
beliefs.
The vigilance of our child protection system, then, is dependent on the presence or absence
of nosy neighbors? Or a judge and a guardian ad litem with an agenda.
The conventional role of guardian ad litem is to provide an independent evaluation of a
family's situation to the court. Pardon clearly had other interests in October 2000 when
Nassif named him guardian for Katerina Corneau, the baby born in a prison hospital after
Nassif jailed Rebecca for refusing to submit to medical exams prohibited by her religious
beliefs.
''I can testify to you that your beliefs and practices are not consistent with His Word, nor,
more profoundly, with His character,'' Pardon wrote to the Corneaus on Dec. 10, 2000, after
they declined to meet with him. ''One day all of us will stand before Him and give an
account of our lives and the choices we have made ...Lives are being destroyed, David, and
all in the Name of God. How God must weep over your decisions.''
Judge Keeps Corneaus in Jail -Jacques Robidoux /The Body
Rebecca and David Corneau, members of the Attleboro (MA) sect called The Body, jailed for
refusing to reveal the location of their baby, will spend at least one more month behind
bars, a Bristol County Juvenile Court judge ruled on March 15. Authorities believe that a
child was born last fall to the couple, who with their brethren shun modern medical
practices.
The Corneaus contend that she suffered a third-trimester miscarriage, and that the child
was stillborn, although they would not further discuss the matter. The Judge first jailed the
couple for contempt in early February after they failed to cooperate in a custody hearing
[concerning the conjectured child.] The Corneaus said that their beliefs prohibit them from
taking an oath. The judge said that he did not believe them. And no witnesses testified
Social Services. ''He's not some nut he was educated at Princeton. Our focus is that two
babies are dead and we don't want any more.''
The Corneaus are the focus of a debate that pits an individual's right to practice religion
against the state's responsibility to protect children. The couple's four known children are in
the custody of DSS, placed there after Nassif found them in need of protection from ''a
bizarre and dangerous cult.''
Nassif already has awarded custody to the state. ''We can't take chances with a baby's life,''
says Yelverton. ''Given the history, we have to take every precaution. We would do that in
any case.''
Well, not every case. Just last week, Eric E.G. James of Roxbury was charged with an
assault that left his 2-month-old son near death. James had history. In October 2000, he
was living with his girlfriend when her 1-month-old son was beaten to death. That homicide
case is still open. DSS found evidence of abuse, but did not keep tabs on Christine
Carreiro's roommates or her reproductive state. ''We can't wait by the door to see if a
couple has another baby,'' says Yelverton. But didn't DSS do just that in the Corneau case?
''No,'' she says. ''We were called by people who saw her pregnant and in active labor.''
The vigilance of our child protection system, then, is dependent on the presence or absence
of nosy neighbors? Or a judge and a guardian ad litem with an agenda.
The conventional role of guardian ad litem is to provide an independent evaluation of a
family's situation to the court. Pardon clearly had other interests in October 2000 when
Nassif named him guardian for Katerina Corneau, the baby born in a prison hospital after
Nassif jailed Rebecca for refusing to submit to medical exams prohibited by her religious
beliefs.
The vigilance of our child protection system, then, is dependent on the presence or absence
of nosy neighbors? Or a judge and a guardian ad litem with an agenda.
The conventional role of guardian ad litem is to provide an independent evaluation of a
family's situation to the court. Pardon clearly had other interests in October 2000 when
Nassif named him guardian for Katerina Corneau, the baby born in a prison hospital after
Nassif jailed Rebecca for refusing to submit to medical exams prohibited by her religious
beliefs.
''I can testify to you that your beliefs and practices are not consistent with His Word, nor,
more profoundly, with His character,'' Pardon wrote to the Corneaus on Dec. 10, 2000, after
they declined to meet with him. ''One day all of us will stand before Him and give an
account of our lives and the choices we have made ...Lives are being destroyed, David, and
all in the Name of God. How God must weep over your decisions.''
Judge Keeps Corneaus in Jail -Jacques Robidoux /The Body
Rebecca and David Corneau, members of the Attleboro (MA) sect called The Body, jailed for
refusing to reveal the location of their baby, will spend at least one more month behind
bars, a Bristol County Juvenile Court judge ruled on March 15. Authorities believe that a
child was born last fall to the couple, who with their brethren shun modern medical
practices.
The Corneaus contend that she suffered a third-trimester miscarriage, and that the child
was stillborn, although they would not further discuss the matter. The Judge first jailed the
couple for contempt in early February after they failed to cooperate in a custody hearing
[concerning the conjectured child.] The Corneaus said that their beliefs prohibit them from
taking an oath. The judge said that he did not believe them. And no witnesses testified
