Mom Madness
The author of a California law to protect children from trauma in custody fights calls our latest FAMILY INJUSTICE investigation, “alarming.” Two little kids’ lives are at stake after a San Diego court judge’s shocking decision.
Mom Madness
There is something very wrong with family courts across this country… the biased judges… the corruption… a lot of things…
But one of the worst is judges taking kids away from the parent they like and forcing them into custody of the parent they fear or hate.
And that is why it’s time to issue an injustice warning about judge Renee Stackhouse in San Diego California… governor Newsom you should watch.
“I don’t want to stay with my dad, he broke my leg! he made me eat dirt, he hurt my body.”
You’re listening to a traumatic custody exchange… public online.
“I want to go with my mom! I want my mom,” the daughter said.
A little girl and her brother ages 6 and 7… forced into the arms of a parent they appear to sound terrified of.
“They’re terrified of him because of the alleged abuse,” said Michael.
Their father is Bryan Mineo.
“The abandonment, the lies, the deception, the con,” said Michael.
This is the kids’ maternal grandfather… with a warning to other parents.
Do a background check. If your child is going to get married, do a background check,” said Michael.
November of 2018… life was sweet for the newlyweds Courtney and Bryan Mineo.
They had welcomed their first child to the world…
But according to court testimony… Bryan was an absent father who disappeared right after his sone came into the world.
This court declaration shows Bryan couldn’t even be bothered to “feed, change, or bathe” his own kids.
Courtney even states Bryan “threatened her with loaded guns, a knife, and by screaming and throwing things” at her. Stockpiling ammunition.
She says she “did not feel safe.”
It was around this time Courtney states Bryan purchased three guns from the internet and started stockpiling ammunition.
“At this point for Courtney… it was a real life episode of… who the hell did I marry,” said Peyton Huessner.
“I hired three private investigators, and we found an incredible pattern of a grifter going from city to city, preying on women, draining their bank accounts, putting on phony charity events, lying about this, lying about that. and then as soon as he’s exposed, he moves to the next city, and that’s four or five cities, you know, in the last 15 years,” said Michael Clifford.
Bryan is the founder of a nonprofit called one with the ocean… an organization that *supposedly* does beach clean ups and teaches open water swimming lessons.
Family court investigative journalist Mike Volpe saw the trouble before we did.
“He was taking an exorbitant amount of money for his salary. so if the nonprofit took 150, it was like 70%, which is way more than anyone should be taking,” said Michael Volpe.
Over the next few years… 990s showed the same trend.
“They don’t pay any taxes. so, if all you’re doing is funneling money to this guy, you’re, you were abusing what the purpose of the nonprofit,” said Michael Volpe.
In 2024… Bryan was removed from his position at his own nonprofit.
But online… Bryan touts his incredible abilities in the water… calling himself the swim mechanic… says he’s trained Olympians.
“He’s built a big rep in the swimming world that I think has been completely not earned,” said Michael Volpe.
Now members of the professional swimming community are calling out Mineo’s bluff.
“Bryan is an individual that concerns me,” said Bruckner Chase.
Including this guy. Bruckner Chase… who works for the N-O-A-A as a subject matter expert on coastal safety.
“I have not seen anything at all that leads me to believe he has any credentials,” said Bruckner Chase
Brain was the topic of a podcast with Eney Jones… a world champion master swimmer.
“He was never an elite swimmer he was never an elite coach, but I think he’s very good at marketing,” said Eney Jones.
She says she was threatened by Mineo after she called him out for plagiarizing.
“He said you know, you’re going to wish you never met me, I said I already wish I never met you,” said Eney Jones.
“The English Channel, many call it the Mount Everest of swimming. A Dallas man thinks he’s up for it.” said an NBC news anchor.
Mineo was going to show his prowess… a 21-mile open water marathon considered one of the ultimate endurance tests in the world.
“He said he was going to swim the English Channel. He got himself on the cover of a magazine in Dallas soaking in ice in a bathtub,” said Michael Clifford.
And brain even teamed up with the make-a-wish foundation to raise $10,000.
“Then he committed fraud. He put on an event and stole all the money,” said Michael Clifford.
That’s because we see no evidence Bryan ever swam the English channel… his father-in-law is not a fan.
“I just have pity on that guy I mean what a loser, you know, what a loser,” said Michael Clifford.
The two were already divorced five years ago.
The case is currently in this woman’s court… judge Renee Stackhouse here in San Diego.
“I can tell you that the vista court in California is one of the most corrupt operations I’ve ever seen,” said Michael Clifford.
This custody agreement shows Courtney had primary custody… with Bryan having monthly visitation. He agreed to let her move out of state… here to Phoenix, Arizona.
Despite court orders giving him visitation… Bryan rarely came… taking advantage of seeing his daughter just four percent of the time he could have.
“But in august of 2021, Courtney noticed troubling signs in her daughter’s behavior… stating Sophia began making “sexual remarks” and that Sophia and her brother were down cast, tired and hungry after the visits,” said Peyton Huessner.
In January of 2022… Sophia comes back from a visit with her dad… complaining that her leg hurt.
A trip to the emergency room revealed 2-year-old Sophia had broken her leg during her stay with her dad. Left untreated.
Less than a year later… Sophia returns from a visit saying that her dad actually made her eat dirt.
“The next time Sophie went over at dinner he made her eat dirt because he said, you never tell what I’m doing to your mother,” said Michael Clifford.
Sophia complained of stomach aches and court documents show she had diarrhea.
“Naturally, Sophia and river started to protest, fight with everything in their being not to go to their dad’s house… and you can hear that in their voices during these custody exchanges that something is terribly wrong,” said Peyton Huessner.
Two years ago… Bryan moved… not from California to Arizona to be closer with his own kids… but out of the country.
Here to the Grand Cayman Islands… a Caribbean paradise.
He left for 8 months… forget he didn’t tell his wife… he didn’t tell his kids.
But Bryan is back in California… has a new wife… this woman Paige Wilsey.
“And all of sudden, you see this shift in court arguments… all of a sudden… Bryan wants to play dad,” said Peyton Huessner.
And then it starts… the alienation insanity….
“When parental alienation is used, 90% plus of the time, it’s to counter an allegation of abuse, and it’s often used to excuse abuse. and I think that’s exactly what’s happening here.,” said Michael Volpe.
And in February of this year… Bryan and his new attorney… Catie Young… doubled down.
In his declaration to the court… he accused Courtney of coaching the children not to engage with him…. brainwashing the kids.
He asked to have sole legal and physical custody.
And judge Renee Stackhouse has committed the abuse of denying Courtneys lawyer a hearing to see the actual evidence.
“My grandchildren have been dragged through a meat grinder because of a judge that has denied an evidentiary hearing, has denied my daughter’s constitutional rights. and each of the children’s constitutional rights,” said Michael Clifford
At a hearing in July… Judge Stackhouse was already ready to give full custody to Bryan’s parents. Greg and Dru Mineo… as a transition to custody with Bryan.
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. They’ve been invited to birthday parties, zooms, facetimes, and they haven’t taken one inch toward meeting their grandchildren or participating with them. Not a birthday card, not a gift at Christmas time or on birthdays or, you know, graduations, nothing. absolutely zero, absolutely zero involvement,” said Michael Clifford.
That grandfather is Greg Mineo… The former Director of The Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations in Maine…
Greg Mineo resides in Virginia.
“And his father continues to protect him and bail him out,” said Michael Clifford.
But it’s Judge Stackhouse who is supposed to honor the law….
California has something called Piqui’s law.
“I could easily stay in bed and cry all day, but that isn’t going to change family court,” said Estevez.
It was passed after the choking murder of a little boy year old boy by his dad.
It prohibits any coercive or forcible actions against children during custody fights.
“Moving kids across state lines, forcing kids to go in a custody situation that’s coerced, putting them in distressed situations,” said Michael Volpe.
“It doesn’t matter what another law says, if you do any of these things, it violates Piqui’s law and you can’t do it,” said Michael Volpe.
California state senator Susan Rubio was the one who authored the bill… and she has her eyes on Judge Stackhouse.
“What has been brought forward is alarming… this case is a reminder that the work is not done.” statement from Senator Susan Rubios office.
“If she wants the law to work, you’ve got to be vocal when judges are ignoring it,” said Michael Volpe.
On September 18… Judge Stackhouse ignored the children’s pleas.
“I don’t want to go.”
Concluding there was no evidence of abuse by the father.
“I will spend every penny, every bit of energy, everything I’ve got to unseat her and expose her decisions,” said Michael Clifford.
In the same order… Stackhouse suggests Courtney is “actively teaching the children to reject Bryan”. her remedy… try to take the kids away from mom… who’s never been accused of physical or sexual abuse.
“I mean, they’re dumber than doornails and they’re power hungry and they are paying off all their buddies in the court. and it’s sickening. and they can care less about justice, ethics, the constitution, you know, the children. it’s a racket. it’s just a racket,” said Michael Clifford.
This is Thomas Jefferson School of Law in Sand Diego. It’s called Diploma Mill. It lost its accreditation from The American Bar Association…Guess what…
Judge Renee Stackhouse graduated from here … so did Mineo’s lawyer Katie Young. So did Erica Bloom, the lawyer appointed by Stackhouse to represent the children. She’s required to be neutral. She has never even visited Courtney’s house in Phoenix to watch the kids around their mom.
Stackhouse appointed her but it was Mineo’s lawyer who recommended hiring her friend. Clifford and her lawyer found out after it happened.
This Ex parte email is evidence Bloom may be violating ethics law. She ignored our attempts to talk to her.
“And it is sickening. And they can care less about justice, ethics, the Constitution, you know, the children. It’s a racket. It’s just a racket.”
But a California appeals court has said… hold on here.
Judge Stackhouse is going along…
The next hearing is in November… one month before judge Stackhouse rotates out of family court… not a moment too soon for other women who are coming forward even before our investigation aired.
Like this woman… Jen Peterson… who is in a custody battle in Stackhouse’s court.
“The law sometimes just doesn’t get accounted for at all in a ruling and is completely skipped. I do believe she reads for the most part each party’s motions, but then I feel like she just picks and chooses what she wants to apply,” said Jen Peterson.
Stackhouse had a rough childhood of her own.
She tells the daily journal that “she was abandoned by her mother… that her childhood was marked with challenges that shaped her path to the bench and inform her jurisprudence”
The laws for family courts are mostly made in state legislature… but the corruption complaints are nationwide… and a grandfather has a message for the white house.
“I wish President Trump would look at the family courts. 60, 70% of the voting bloc in America, if you’re a democrat, a republican, a libertarian, a Muslim, Christian, Jew, Atheist, every family has been touched by this corruption, and if Jonathan Turley or President Trump or Kash Patel or whoever’s in office would start looking at this corruption that’s hurting families, it would be a miracle,” said Michael Clifford.
At the local Lutheran church… we watched Courtney leave with her kids.
She didn’t know we were still there.
“Courtney. Wayne Dolcefino I am an investigator from Houston,” said Wayne Dolcefino.
Earlier we had found this desperate Phoenix mom.
She’s trying to fight a California Judge who went into family law after her own mother abandoned her… and now passes judgement on other moms.
“I think anything I say will probably be used against me right now. But I’m very grateful to those in the state legislature for looking into my case and to the federal marshals I spoke with for looking at it,” said Courtney.
Another mom facing a fear she doesn’t deserve to face… losing her children.
“I also really appreciate all the protective parents who reached out in support, and I think it’s awful that my case is one of tens of thousands. There are so many other people in the same. Why do you think this happens? I really can’t say anything else right now,” said Courtney.
“How worried are you about losing the kids,” said Wayne Dolcefino.
“I can’t comment any further,” said Courtney.
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