Montana couple Krista and Todd Kolstad are embroiled in a legal battle with state authorities over custody of their teenage daughter Jennifer, Reduxx reported on Monday.
Jennifer's identification as a transgender man has sparked intense controversy and led to allegations of overreach by Children and Family Services (CFS). according to to Reduxx. The ordeal unfolded in August 2023, when the Kolstad family accused CFS of effectively “kidnapping” Jennifer following a series of events triggered by her expressing suicidal thoughts at school. did.
The Kolstads spoke about the chain of events that led to their current predicament. Reduxx reports that the incident began with a call from the school informing them of Jennifer's condition, which led to immediate intervention by CFS. Despite the family's efforts to raise and provide a stable environment for Jennifer, including moving her to another school district to escape her bullying, the unannounced arrival of a CFS caseworker at the family's 's world has changed completely.
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A Montana family lost custody of their 14-year-old daughter after she refused to “affirm” her gender transition to a “boy.”
Krista Kolstad and Todd Kolstad chose to tell their story despite a court order to remain silent.https://t.co/n7P1XwzfSS
— REDUXX (@ReduxxMag) January 29, 2024
The situation worsened following Jennifer's claims that she had ingested harmful substances, which were later denied by medical tests at a local hospital. However, the paper noted that his desire for Jennifer to be recognized as a “Leo,” reflecting her gender identity, further escalated the situation.
“We were very clear with our staff, not just our emergency room staff.” [CFS] This goes against our values, morals and religious beliefs,” Krista said on Reduxx. However, the hospital refused to listen to his parents. “I was told to do what my patients told me to do, and to call my attorney if I had a problem.”
The hospital's position on Jennifer's social transition, combined with what the Kolstas perceived as undermining their parental rights, led to a complex legal battle. “One day I came in and she was talking about getting surgery on her neck and being non-binary,” Krista said of her aide, according to Reduxx. She then consulted her doctor, who also dismissed her. “He said to me, 'Why aren't you more concerned that her daughter is trying to harm herself? What then?' [the aide] are you talking about? (Related: Exclusive: School officials appear to have hidden the 'gender identity' of bullied student who was told she was suicidal)
Jennifer is currently in a group home due to suicidal thoughts and is monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The court granted custody to CFS, and Jennifer was scheduled to be placed with her biological mother in Canada, with whom she had little contact. According to Reduxx, there are allegations of abuse by her biological mother Christine, raising concerns about her suitability as a parent. Despite legal challenges and a court silence order, Krista and Todd vowed to continue fighting for their daughter and raising awareness about their situation.
