angiEmedia

(Click here for more coverage on parental alienation.)

New York Firefighter Richard Smulczewski has two teenage daughters. His ex, Susan Smulczewski, committed parental alienation against their two daughters, brainwashing them into hating their father, and blocking access to the kids. She was found to be committing parental alienation by the courts and deemed an unfit mother. The court remanded custody of the daughters to their father. Yet the mother has refused to comply with court orders, continued to alienate their daughters against him, and continues to have custody.

The New York Times reported on the case in 2005:

Richard Smulczeski, 57, a firefighter, won custody of his two teenage daughters in a trial two years ago in Suffolk County. But after eight months, the girls ran away and returned to the home of their mother, Susan Smulczeski, 47. ”They are uncomfortable and afraid,” Ms. Smulczeski said. ”He was physically abusive and verbally, emotionally and financially.” He says ”there was no hitting involved” and that his wife ”has no credibility.” An appellate court reaffirmed Mr. Smulczeski’s custody on May 23, but he still has no contact with his daughters, and he sees a double standard in enforcing parents’ rights. ”You get the distinct feeling: ‘You are the father, why don’t you give up,”’ Mr. Smulczeski said.

The New York family law courts allow the mother to continue to thumb her nose at the court, emotionally abuse the kids via parental alienation, and suffer absolutely no consequences of any kind for her illegal and emotionally abusive behaviors. The courts have abdicated their duty to enforce the law, instead siding with an abusive mother.

As Richard Smulczewski points out, parental alienation is not just committed by mothers against fathers. It goes the other way, too. American courts seem to be unable and unwilling to do their jobs in many of these cases, regardless of the gender of the alienating parent.

The following interview and discussion panel filmed in 2007 discusses the Smulczewski alienation case. It was originally broadcast on open access cable TV in the New York area. The program features host Mel Feit and three guests:

• Amy Baker, Ph.D. is psychologist and nationally known expert regarding parental alienation syndrome. She is the author of the book Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome: Breaking the Ties That Bind.
• Richard Smulczeski is a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department. Lieutenant Smulczeski was severely alienated from his two teenage daughters and fought a legal battle for custody.
• Jacqueline Harounian is a partner in the law firm, Wissselman, Harounian and Associates. Ms. Harounian led a seminar for mental health professionals on the subject of parental alienation.

Dr. Baker points out that many alienating parents have personality disorders. They are psychologically damaged and likely will never recover or change their ways from being alienating parents. They behave much as cult leaders, trying to ensure that the children love only them and that all “threats” (other people who might influence the children and whom they may love) are eliminated from their lives.

The show is split into three segments hosted on YouTube.

Interview Segment #1

Interview Segment #2

Interview Segment #3

Further Reading

Kids’ Parental Alienation Book: I Don’t Want to Choose!

Divorced Fathers Push for a Greater Role

The National Center For Men: NCM Television Currently Showing