Answers sought after state authorities take a child without a court order

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A federal judge wants answers from the state after authorities took a child from her mother with no court order.

Hannah David says police removed her 11-year-old daughter from school without her knowledge and delivered her to her father on Kauai.

The girl’s father said it was initiated by Child Protective Services because her mother is unstable.

But the girl’s father gave up custodial rights in 2012 and had a court order to stay away from them.

The issue at hand is that it appears no judge ever approved the child’s removal, the girl’s mother claims.

“I miss her. The father has taken her, kidnapped her. He has absolutely no right to do that,” the girl’s mother Hannah David said.

The woman’s attorney said the circumstances are odd.

“Nobody believes its possible for the police to simply go to a school, take a child, and give that child to somebody whose legal rights have been terminated for good and sufficient reason,” attorney Eric Seitz said. “But that’s what happened here.”

The girl is now in foster care, and David says she’s not allowed visitation.

On Friday, a federal judge ordered the state to explain how and why it all happened. They’re due back in court on Tuesday.

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