July 17~2006

Judge Joseph D. Johmon

District Court Judge
Shawnee County Courthouse, Room 311
200 SE P. St.
Topeka, Kansas 66603-3696

Re: Claudine Dombrowski: (DOB 4/10/1965)

Dear Hon. Johnson,

I am \\!riting this letter on behalf of Claud ine Dombrowski She came to my office on JUt
2006 wanting help to regain joint custody and visitation with her daughter. Rikki It is my
understanding she bas been separated from her daughter for the past 6 yean and bas supeM
"safe visits" with her twice a montb for an hour.
Ms. Dombrowski states she loves Rikki unoonditionally and has been suffering with emo1
pain since being separated from her daughter. Throughout our sessions, I have been told by
DombroWldd that she has never been cb.orged with any form of child abuse towmd Rikki I f
perplexed on why she bas only been allowed to see her daughter fOr two hmlrs a month thru
visits. It makes me wonder if she bas been a victim lost in the judicial syste!n with nowhere t
If this is the case, it needs to be rectitied immediately.
No child should be kept away from their parent because husbaDd aDd wifu are at extreme
with each other. The anger between Ms. Dombrowski and her ex husband Jleeds to be resol'
and an equitable agreement reached so that their daughter is remuved from the center of thei
conflict.
Throughout the years of my practice I have found in most cases; money;andlor children a
used to get back at one another. This is wrong and should be stopped. The o.n1yunconditioJ
love 1s between a parent and their child The child needs to have access to either and/or pm
Children require the love, nurturing and acceptance from both parents. The parents are the r
for the child to grow intellectually and emotionaDy in order for them to bee9tne the best pees
they can be.
When a child is alienated from either parent that child is given the often unspoken but ele:
message that one parent is senior to the other. Therefure, access and contact: blocking by eit
parent needs to be closely observed. Ms. Dombrowski, to my knowledge, has never been fo

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guilty of any abuse towards her daughter. There has been a deterioration in!the relationship:
the separation of Ms. Dombrowski and Rikki A healthy and established patenta! reJationsbi)
does not erode naturally of its own accord. It must be attacked. Any ~tic changein tJili
is virtually always an indicator of an alienation process that has bad some sticcess in the past.
would think there is an intense fear reaction by Rikki considering the )Wing tritoation she has
endured. I have not had an opportunity to meet or talk. with Rikki so I am. ~~odds to evaJuat
aspect ofaJienation. However, it is known that the fear the child may exhibit is due to the fe
abandonment. Children under these conditions live in a state of chronic up~t and threat of
reprisal. When the child does dare to defY the alienating parent, they quickly learn that there
serious price to pay. ChiJdren who live such lives develop an acute sense of\'igiJance over
displeasing the alienating parent. If these actions are evident in this case thQ court needs to d
with it swiftly. If it is not dealt with, it will contaminate and quietly controJ:all other parentin
issues and then lead to unhappiness, frustration and finally, parental estrang.~ment.
From my sessions with Ms. Dombrowski it has become quite clear she l<tves Rikki and Wl
to-be a-positiveroJe motlelfor her-clWd. -1hru many1ems--she.has shomrgrbt sorrow-attJ-
remorse for her missing out on so many important lite changes her daughter has made withal
her. I do not feel Ms. Dombrowski is a threat to herself or her daughter. She has been brigb
verbal and motivated to do w11atever is required by the courts to regainjoinl custody of her
daughter.
I believe it is important that Ms. Dombrowski and Rikki have three or fdur joint sessions .
establish their relationship; talk about each others needs; work on boundaritis and healthy wa
communicate with each other. Ifthe court grants joint custody, both paren:ls need to be
instructed that Rikk.i should never be subjected to their animosity and angcr;'with each otht-"'1'.
inte1jection process needs to be monitored closely by a therapist who is familiar with human
behaviors and the negathte effects that can be put on children. This proceSSt should also be
monitored for parental alienntion by either pa..rent.
I am willing to offer my offic.e as a place for both parents to exchange Rjkki \\lith each oil
n..--questtlmt these exchanges be made during our nonnal business hours.
IfI can be offurther assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mary Ann Dugan, LSCSW CFT. 9

MAD/sp