NTD NEWS: Sweden Custody Case Sparks Rights Concerns (video)

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Access here quickly all articles published by the Romanian Tribune newspaper in reference to the SAMSON FAMILY CASE

A European court ruling is drawing attention to a custody case involving a Christian family in Sweden.

The European Court of Human Rights rejected the case brought by Daniel and Bianca Samson, calling it inadmissible. The parents alleged religious discrimination and wrongful separation from their children.

NTD’s Daniel Monahan spoke with the father about their harrowing ordeal.

The two eldest daughters of Christian couple Daniel and Bianca Samson were taken into state care by Swedish child protection services in 2022 after the eldest made a false report at school triggered by her parents’ refusal to allow her a mobile phone and the use of makeup. And she went to school and said there is violence in the home. So, the school alerted the authorities which took the children from from school.

Father Daniel Samson says things soon spiraled out of control. And even though the girl confessed to the lies and then she went on recording with the police as a proof, the social services refused to let the children come back home.

The couple of Romanian origin had been residing in Sweden for close to a decade.

Legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom International supported the couple’s application before the Human Rights Court. They say Swedish authorities have ignored the best interests of the children by refusing to reunite the family even after the only allegations were dropped and prosecutors found no evidence of abuse. Child Protection Services later accused the parents of being religious extremists citing their refusal to let the girls wear makeup and the family’s regular attendance at church three times a week.

“And I remember for example they have confiscated from them all the religious books, Bibles, audio stories, books and they said what you give to your children it’s violence. On the other hand, where they are right now, they watch TV series like Netflix, Squid Games where there is explicit violence.”  says the father.

Samson says he and his wife are members of the Romanian Pentecostal Church.

“We live by the Bible’s teachings. So, we don’t smoke, we don’t do drugs, we don’t do alcohol, we don’t steal. All the commandments that the Bible say and we try to to raise our children by Christian values and to raise them also as useful members of the society. He elaborates on why he resisted allowing his daughter the phone and makeup. The reason why I didn’t allow her to have a personal phone is because she told me that at school they some of the colleagues watch pornography and I told her that’s not something for you, that’s really not something for anybody if you ask me. So, and also regarding the makeup, I told her look, you are 10 and you have a beautiful skin. If you start now at 20 you look like 30.”

Alliance Defending Freedom says the case raises serious concerns about delays, overreach and possible discrimination against Christians in Sweden’s child welfare system. The Samsons currently are only allowed one supervised visit per month.

“This is complicated by the fact that the girls are placed in different foster care homes. At one point we had to travel in a loop 1,400 km to see them because they they were moved very far away.”

Since 2023 the daughters have reportedly been moved multiple times. The parents also completed a state required parenting course which they say confirmed their fitness. Despite this, daughters Sarah and Teona were still not returned to them.

According to the parents both daughters are struggling emotionally, have attempted suicide and their school performance has declined.

“Every time they see us they beg us please take me home, please take me home. I don’t want to be here. I will die here, Dad. Just please take me home. I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Alliance Defending Freedom International has also raised concerns about Sweden’s foster care system pointing to potential financial incentives that could delay family reunification.

NTD reached out to Swedish Social Services for a comment but has not yet received a response. Daniel Monahan, NTD News.