Personhood USA: Massachusetts DCF denies Pelletiers weekly visitation with Justina

News provided by

Mar 28, 2014, 07:00 ET

BOSTON, March 28, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the past several months, the Pelletiers have met face-to-face with Justina once weekly in supervised visits of no more than one hour. Now, Massachusetts DCF is denying the Pelletiers visitation with Justina in another blatant act of vindictive punishment.

This new act demonstrates DCF's unwillingness to reunite the family and exposes the agency's lack of interest in the welfare of Justina or the Pelletier family. Instead, DCF is concerned with getting back at a family that spoke out against their heavy-handed custody grab.

By prohibiting Justina from seeing her family, DCF is treating her differently than all other minors at the Framingham facility where she is being held. Even convicted criminals in Massachusetts have more weekly visitation time than Justina Pelletier.

Rev. Pat Mahoney, Pelletier family spokesperson, says he spoke to the family last night. "They are deeply troubled but will not give up their efforts to return Justina home," he said. "It is clear now that the only reason the Pelletiers cannot visit their daughter is because Massachusetts DCF is singling out their family for punishment."

Mahoney continued: "We call on Gov. Patrick and DCF authorities to immediately rectify this mistake. It's clear to everyone that Justina needs to be home with her family and that Massachusetts DCF has no concern for her emotional and physical well-being."

Keith Mason, President of Personhood USA, said: "Justina Pelletier is being treated worse than a prisoner under DCF's care. They are punishing Justina to try to cow the Pelletier family into submission. We can't allow DCF to abuse its authority in this flagrant and grotesque fashion."

www.freejustina.com

SOURCE Personhood USA