Maile Metalwala was reunited with her dad, Solomon Metalwala.
Washington Department of Social and Health Services seized Maile Metalwala, the 4-year-old daughter of Solomon Metalwala, away from her unfit mother, Julia Biryukova, and put Maile in foster care. It is a common but unjust practice for child welfare agencies to put children in foster care instead of giving them to their fathers. Working with Fathers and Families, our supporters contacted Washington authorities and demanded that Solomon and little Maile be reunited.
Solomon Metalwala had almost no contact with Maile Metalwala, his 4-year-old daughter, for all of 2011.
First, a family law commissioner approved a restraining order against Solomon. This was done despite the fact that his accuser, estranged wife Julia Biryukova, had previously made false abuse charges, and Child Protective Services had concluded that these new abuse charges also were false. Biryukova has a clear history of mental illness, and on several occasions has made charges and claims that investigating authorities found to be baseless or outright lies.
On November 6, Julia Biryukova told police that she ran out of gas with her 2-year-old son Sky and 4-year-old daughter Maile in the car. Julia alleges that she and Maile left Sky to go get gas, but when she returned, Sky was gone. However, the Bellevue police investigated and discredited her story.
CPS then took Maile from Biryukova and, instead of giving Maile to her father, put her in foster care. We have often seen such cases drag on for months or even years, even to the point where a judge decides that the child has bonded with the foster parents and should not be disrupted by returning to his or her father. We sought to avoid this by pushing Washington authorities into quickly reuniting Maile with her father.
Mental Health, Family Law, and Medical Professionals, Educators, & Prominent Citizens Call on WA Authorities to Reunite Maile Metalwala with Her Father
"The undersigned believe that Maile Metalwala has been unjustly kept from Solomon Metalwala, the father she loves and needs. It is common practice for child welfare agencies to put children in foster care instead of giving them to their fathers. It is also common practice for courts to rubberstamp restraining orders based on spurious domestic violence claims. Both of these problems are clearly evident in the Metalwala case. We respectfully call upon the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and the King County Superior Court to reunite little Maile with her father."
Endorsers of our campaign included:
Mariano Amador, MD
Pediatrician
Houston, TX
Adam A. Andersen, Esq.
Attorney, Businessman
Orange County, CA
Lloyd Axelrod, M.D.
Boston, MA
Elizabeth Barton, PhD
East Setauket, NY
Mark J. Benedyk, Ph.D.
San Diego, CA
Jeffrey J. Betman, MD, DPM
Chicago, IL
Rev. Paul L. Blank,
Lutheran Pastor
Swanton, MD
David Brasington
Fathers and Families Board Member
Worcester, MA
Kip Brockmyre,
President, LFI Medical
Walpole, MA
John C. Buckley III, JD, MA
Counsellor at Law
Buckley Law
Colorado Springs CO
Amy Sterling Casil, MFA
Aliso Viejo, CA
John D. Coffey, B.A., J.D.
Legal Educator
Barstow, CA
Mike Coghlan, Esq.
Dekalb, IL
Lloyd A. Conway, MAT, MPA
City Councilman, University Instructor
Charlotte, MI
Paula Cuesy, M.A. Ed.
Educator
Fresno, CA
George “Jay” Essif, M.S.
Licensed Psychologist
Lancaster, PA
Robert Franklin, Esq.
Utopia, TX
Michael Freeny, MSW
Mental Health Educator
Orlando, FL
Stephen Gershman, A. Esq.
Certified Specialist in Family Law
State Bar of California-Board of Legal Specialization
Sherman Oaks, CA
Tom Golden, LCSW
Psychotherapist
Gaithersburg, MD
Rabbi Hal Greenwald
Los Angeles, CA
Nick Gregoratos, Esq.
Director Legal Services
San Francisco, CA
Rev. Jeanene Hammers
Aloha, OR
Linda Heshiser
Certified Registered Nurse
Chillicothe, OH
Edwin A. Hissa, MD
Jackson, OH
Christopher Ho, MD
Los Angeles, CA
Phillip J. Holman
Family Law Attorney
Detroit, MI
Ned Holstein, MD, MS
Physician
Newton, MA
Chris Hough, MBA
Leesburg, VA
George Karavidas
Psychologist-Writer, Life Long Martial Artist
Springfield, MA
Martha Knight
Reporter
Port Allegany, PA
Paul W. Koda, Esq.
Attorney
Washington DC
Gregory T. Kotonias, M.D.
Retired Professor of Psychiatry
Lay Minister, Unitarian Church
Former Consultant, Archdiocese of Boston and Mass Bar Assoc.
Boston, MA
John Koulouris (Esq.)
Laval, Canada.
Chris Langan-Fox, MSc, PhD
Tasmania, Australia
Stephen Levine
Attorney
San Bernardino, CA
Peter J. Logan
Attorney
San Francisco, CA
Brian Magee
Corporate Quality Manager
West Chester, PA
Percy M. Master,
Engineer
Missouri City, TX
Steven Maynard, MD
Assistant Professor
Georgetown University Medical Center
Washington, DC
David Menchell, M.D.
Allergy and Immunology
Fresh Meadows, NY
Tom Meyers, Esq.
Boston, MA
Lee R. Miller, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science
College of San Mateo
San Mateo, CA
Norman Moline, CPA, CFP,
Professional Fiduciary
Arcadia, CA
Sandra Morrow, RN, BSN, CPN
Certified Pediatric Nurse
Newton, NJ
Dr. Norman Dale Norris
University Professor/ Author
New Orleans, LA
Lee Ockenden
Marriage and Family Therapist
Davis, CA
Robert Opaluch, PhD
Riverside, RI
Samuel D. Perry, CFA
Investment Professional
Boston, MA
Greg D. Peterson, Esq.
Boston, MA
Charles Pezeshki, Ph.D., Professor
Pullman, WA
Dr. George Popovich, PhD
Howell, MI
Jay Portnow, M.D., Ph.D.
Boston, MA
Peter A. Rapoza, MD
Boston, MA
Dr. Vernon D. Reynolds
Physician & Pharmacist
Columbus, OH
John Risen, CPA
Marcola, OR
Paul Robbins, Ph.D.
Arvada, CO
Gary Robelen, M.D.
Weston, MA
Kimberley S. Roberts, LMSW
Cedar Rapids, IA
Bruce Rogers
CEO, Virtual, Inc.
Wakefield, MA
Julius Salinas
Educator
Esko, MN
Frederic H. Schwartz, MD
Physician
Worcester, MA
James A. Schweikert, CBPI
Parent Educator
Flagstaff, AZ
Kenneth Senkel, Esq.
Attorney at Law
Burleson, TX
James J. Stagliano, Ph.D.
Atlanta, GA
Benjamin Taylor, CPA, MAcc
Certified Public Accountant
Marietta, GA
Les Veskrna, MD
Family Medicine
Lincoln, Nebraska
Mark Vincent, MS
School Psychologist
Milwaukee, WI
John Wellman
Chelmsford, MA
Robert A. Yourell
Licensed Marriage Family Therapist
San Diego, CA
Our campaign received extensive local media coverage, including Seattle TV stations NBC KING 5, KIRO and NWCN 2, as well as KOMO News Radio, PNW News, Huffington Post, Yahoo, and others.
Maile Metalwala was reunited with her dad, Solomon Metalwala.