| --PEERgroup --Parental Equality Enforcement Resource |
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| Appropriate age group. Dr. Ronald Ruff writes in 1998: "It is my opinion that Parental Alienation Syndrome has occurred in this case. In 1999, Carole Dougherty writes: "Teri Ann is a victim of severe Parental Alienation Syndrome." In 1996, Cheryl Moultrie reports, "She [Kathy] has 'programmed' Teri Ann Cook to reject her father, his name and to internalize adult problems." For approximately 4 years, Teri Ann is isolated from Garry. [False] accusations of child molestation is sighted as the reason. Garry is exonerated by all evaluators. Teri Ann and Kathy's reporting of the false accusations were described in written reports by various professionals as; “stilted”, “rehearsed”, “implausible”, "no substantiation", "contrived and confabulated". Garry had wonderful, loving relationship with Teri Ann until Kathy withheld visitation her from him. “Data indicate that, prior to the September, 1995 incident, Garry did have a meaningful positive relationship with his child.” (from Rebesco's report, 1996) Hundreds of photographs, personal testimonies, etc., have demonstrated the truth of this throughout this case. Teri Ann now has no positive memories of Garry or ANY of his family. Dr. Caruana wrote that "She [Teri Ann] states she cannot remember any happy times with him whatsoever." Continually denigrates Garry. Everything about him is bad. Teri Ann is reported as saying: "He’s mean to her, laughs at her, calls her names, is forceful and demanding, doesn’t care about her, threatens her, tells her to 'shut up', is a child molester, lies, is a bad role model and that she’s afraid of him." Produces unsolicited drawings that she had brought to show Dr Rebesco in 1996, “Documenting her father's misdeeds… included was a picture of a snake who she described as 'a snake, like the devil'.” At age 7 Teri Ann tells Cheryl Moultrie she, "Came from her mother so she should appreciate her [i.e., mother's] happiness”. Uses adult-like language complimenting mother and degrading father. Although she has had many good times while with Terry on visitations, when questioned by a therapist or the judge, she denies enjoying her time with her father. Teri Ann knows Kathy will find out what she says in therapy, therefore, she is pressured to lie. She’s constantly proving her loyalty to Kathy throughout this case. Teri Ann is documented many times stating she wants no visitation with Garry. From the December, 2000, interview between 11 year old Teri Ann and Bonaventura: "THE COURT: Tell me if you could make-- if you were in control and you could make the decision [on visitation with father], what would it be? THE CHILD: That I wouldn’t have to see him at all. THE COURT: Ever? THE CHILD: Ever.” Kathy, on occassion, claims that she is "for" visitation between Garry and Teri Ann, insisting it is Teri Ann who doesn’t want visitation. From Carole Dougherty's report submitted on 6/22/99: “In spite of the fact Kathy told me she has 'always been for reunification' she has done nothing to reinforce with Teri Ann all of these years that a relationship with her father is important for Ann’s sake.” Dr. Judith Themer: "Mrs. Kirk's behavior represents a concerted effort to delay the process of reunification between her daughter and Mr. Kirk." When Teri Ann is asked if her mother is the reason that she does not want to she her father, Teri Ann always claims that the decision is strictly HERS and her mother has no influence on what she wants. Cheryl Moultrie: "Teri Ann's...language seems very perfected through rehearsal and performance...she [Teri Ann] uses very adult language and adult ideas [sic]...she [Teri Ann] parrots the exact language and adult notions her mother uses." Dr. Douglas Caruana : "Her voice was very stilted, with a rehearsed presentation when describing issues involving molestation....pattern of speech is rehearsed and adult-like." From Dr. Ronald Ruff's session in 1998: Teri Ann is shown pictures of past happy times with Garry at Disney World. Her reaction was that "she had a horrible time at Disney World because her father wouldn't let her touch something that she wanted to" touch. Also, "because of her father, they missed a train and had to take another one." She added, "We had to wait hours and hours and I was tired." Interview with Bonaventura in 2000: When asked about having fun going to the movies with Garry, she replied, "That doesn't mean I was having fun." Kathy solicits help from strangers, neighbors, waitresses, pastors, store clerks, etc., in her efforts to "prove" that Teri Ann is afraid of her father and does not like seeing him. This case is replete with documentation showing that Kathy has consistently refused to cooperate with court-appointed therapists and attempted to control the entire evaluation process. Cheryl Moltrie reported, "Kathy tried to sabotage me seeing Teri Ann alone." Further, Kathy solicited letters from others who had no independent knowledge of this case, including her family practioner whom she persuaded to write a letter that was presented in court. That letter stated, "She [Teri Ann] states that the meetings with him upset her, she is afraid of him, and that she no longer likes or loves her father. She claims that he sexually molested her." In 1997, Cheryl Moultrie writes, "Mother has wanted all the professionals in this case discredited and this is most likely due to each person's disagreement with what the mother wanted, which was for the child to never have to reunite with the father." Kathy has insisted on this from the beginning. When Garry did have contact outside of Kathy's influence, Kathy would object and attempt to preempt any further contact without her presence. Kathy claimed visits with Garry upset Teri Ann and caused her to have uncontrollable diarrhea, headaches and stomach aches. Court testimony and evidence, including photos, suggest this is not true. All accusations were found to be unsubstantiated and labeled as the construct of the mother in an attempt to alienate the child from her father. However, Kathy continues to label Garry a child molester without the slightest condemnation of this by Judge Bonaventura, despite the obvious detriment to Teri Ann in believing these false accusations. In the most recent evaluation by Dr. Phillip Helding in 2000, Helding comments that Kathy "made frequent reference to the alleged sexual assault and to her concerns to the possibility of a recurrence." Teri Ann also told Judge Bonaventura in their December 21, 2000 interview that she did not want to see Terry, "because he sexually molested me." The judge continues to this day to allow Teri Ann to be brainwashed by her mother and to believe her father has molested her. |
| The following tables include only a few examples from the Kirk case that substantiate the diagnosis of Parental Alienation Syndrome made by psychological professionals in this case. The left column is a PAS characteristic as it is commonly defined. The right column lists the corresponding event or fact relavent to the PAS symptom in the Cook case. |
| Parental Alienation Syndrome |
| Teri Ann |
| Syndrome may be seen at any age past 3 or 4 years. Younger children are generally more vulnerable. "Inducing a PAS [Parental Alienation Syndrome] in a child is emotional abuse, clear and simple." --Dr. Richard Gardner, The Parental Alienation Syndrome. Blocking the child from the alienated parent. One rationale used to justify this blocking is allegations of sexual molestation. Alienated parent had a positive relationship with the child prior to separation, but substantial deterioration since then. In the typical presentation of PAS, which may arise within days of the announcement of a custody conflict, the child obsessively denigrates the alienated parent. Child develops an obsessive hatred of the alienated parent, " who is viewed as the incarnation of evil." Lack of normal ambivalence toward both parents. The child can find nothing they dislike about the alienating parent and nothing they like about the "hated" parent. PAS operates in a "fear based" environment. The child is constantly being put through loyalty tests by the alienating parent who thereby forces the child to "choose parents". This is in direct opposition to a child's emotional well being. Whenever the child is given a choice in the visitation, they are put in the position to act out of loyalty to the alienating parent's wishes by refusing to have the visitation at all with the absent parent. The alienating parent often will try to appear to be the one supporting visitation, yet every act indicates otherwise. PAS children proudly state that their decision to "reject their father is their own". They deny any contibution from their mothers. By stating the decision is their own, they assuage mother's guilt and protect her from criticism. Child uses age-inappropriate language which suggests they have either picked up adult conversation or has been coached by the alienating parent. The child does not answer questions naturally but appears to have pre-programmed answers. Evidence that might contradict a distortion is met with rationalization and delusion. Alienating parent 'enmeshes' others (who may later become her witnesses) who then echo the child's fear or allegations and support the [alienating parent's] views". Alienating parent is reluctant to allow child to be seen by independent psychologists while at the same time they may have enlisted the support of their general practitioner, health worker, etc. as part of the enmeshment process. Alienating parent selects all therapists, and support, etc., on the basis of their willingness to support the alienator's position, all others are rejected. Alienating parent insists on being present at all contact sessions with the "hated" parent citing the child's need to feel secure, or may claim that the child has said that they are to frightened to have contact unless the alienating parent stays with them. Where sexual abuse of the child is claimed, the alienating parent continues to insist that it happened even if all evidence and expert opinions are to the contrary. The child may echo the allegations of the alienating parent, appearing to believe that they have been abused. |
| "Some American psychiatrists, who have had a wide experience in this field, advocate immediate removal of the child from the alienatiing parent and placement with the other parent where possible. They contend that empirical studies have shown that this approach is best for the child's psychological welfare. Further, in cases where there has been severe alienation the child should have no contact with the alienating parent for as long as it takes to re-establish the relationship with the child and the previously absent parent. Contact with the alienating parent should then restart gradually and be monitored closely to ensure that the damaging behavior does not recur." -- Carole Willbourne and Leslie-Anne Cull, Barristers, The Emerging Problem of Parental Alienation |
| "All the cards were marked in advance. The trial was a pig-circus, he never had a chance." - Bob Dylan, Hurricane |