In 2000 Janet Jenkins married Lisa Miller, the biological mother of a 7-year-old girl named Isabella. After their divorce in 2003, Miller moved to Virginia with Isabella, joined an evangelical church, began reading books on ex-gay therapy, “became” heterosexual and refused to ever let Jenkins see her daughter again. Then in 2009, a court awarded full custody to Jenkins as the only way to ensure child visitation rights and Miller kidnapped her daughter and fled to Nicaragua.
The U.S. government authorities initially suspected that a non-relative of Miller’s named Timothy “Timo” Miller played a significant role in Isabella’s kidnapping. But today they dropped all charges against the Mennonite missionary for “his agreement to cooperate with the investigation of the United States government, including an agreement to return to the United States and to provide truthful testimony as requested in any proceedings” in the high-profile kidnapping case. They also gave him back his passport. Any chance he knows where Isabella is?
Georgie
Wait wait, why does she deserve visitation rights? She was in the kid’s life from 7 to 10. Even if she somehow is entitled to visitations, how does that lead to full custody? If this was me and my kid I would “kidnap” them, too.
Matthew Dimick
It led to full custody only after the biological mother acted in direct violation to the visitation rights granted to Jenkins. I believed she was entitled to them because in vermont she had legally adopted the child. Not quite sure.
I do know Miller tried to peddle the case to the more conservative VA courts.
Had Jenkins allowed for the allocated visitation, the courts would have never taken full-custody.
And yes, it is kidnapping when you tell a child their other mother is evil and going to hell, refuse to allow her to see her, and then run off to a foreign country.
the crustybastard
@Georgie:
Congratulations! You’re The Daily Asshole.
a.mcewen
@Matthew Dimick: And I might point out that both Lisa Miller and Janet Jenkins initially agreed to raise little Isabella together even after they broke out. Janet Jenkins was paying child support.
randy
The girl is 18 years old now, and considered an adult. I suspect this is why Timothy Miller is cooperating with police. Either the daughter wants to know her other mother, or she has been brainwashed by the church that she wants nothing to do with her. In either situation, it’s now out of the everyone’s hand, basically
ChrisC
Was the girl 7 at the time of the marriage or 7 right now? Sorry, I’m a little confused, lol.
Riker
@randy: The girl is actually about nine years old. Where did you get 18 from?
@ChrisC: She was seven when she was kidnapped, I think.
@Georgie: She was in the kid’s life when she was born. They made the decision together to concieve and raise a child TOGETHER. Miller didn’t have a child already before their relationship, the child was concieved as a result of their relationship. Both have parental rights, and I think I remember reading that both names appear on the birth certificate.
T
wow this is really bad reporting
Miller and Jenkins had a civil union in 2000, and while together, had Isabella through artificial insemination.
The way Queerty has worded it makes it seem like the child was 7 years old when the women got together.
LandStander
@T: Thank you for clearing that up. I was wondering why someone would have visitation rights to a child they have known only from 7 to 10 haha. Makes much more sense now.
Nancy
Lisa Miller, as an evangelical AND as an x-gay, allowed visitations between her daughter and Janet Jenkins at first. She only denied visitation when her daughter (according to Miller) demonstrated that she was reluctant to spend time with Jenkins.
Miller claimed that Jenkins bathed nude with the child and showed her ‘inappropriate’ movies. As the movie titles were not provided, it’s difficult to make a judgment call on whether the movies were harmful to Isabella or not.
Politics needs to get out of the way of doing what is best for this little girl. So far that seems to indicate that she should be with the only mother she has ever known.
Learn from this. Know the laws in your state. Make sure you legally adopt a child if you are not involved in conception.