UnityWall.com

Jeffrey Bakken

My son was 1 month old when the mother kidnapped our child right out of my life from Arizona. She moved back to MN because she wanted better free welfare services from the state and to resume her sleazy love affairs. I knew I was the father but was told it was between me and another guy. I asked her to submit to a blood test to prove I was the father as I was a happy and proud man. She refused.

Welfare took close to 2 years to get the paperwork to me forcing me to submit a blood test. It was then I found out the mother had named 3 men as possibly being the father. She didn't even tell me about the 3rd guy, a one night stand.

I believe welfare on purpose delayed ordering the blood work so the mother and child could establish residency in MN.

My sonwas born in AZ so in affect, he was kidnapped, a felony.

Right after she left, I suffered a spine injury. My carpenter wages of 6 to 800 per week stopped immediately. My work comp check was 700 per month, 1/4 of my wages. Child support was 468.00 per month and out of state. I was in no way able to fight from AZ. I had 2 major neck surgeries to deal with. I had workers comp to deal with as well. Even with an attorney, work comp terminated my benefits, not just once either. You have to prove that your not able to work. Dr's lie and hide stuff too so it's very difficult and time consuming to win your case. Mine took 7 long years .

MN child support knew all the facts of my case. That didn't matter. I still had to pay the 468.00 per month.

I had to have my mother find me an attorney in MN to represent me from out of state. I couldn't afford this attorney. He took my case out of the goodness of his heart.

My 2nd and risky spine surgery required me to be placed in a halo-brace for 3 months. I had given up on seeing my son and had now remarried. She filed for divorce a week after my surgery. When I found out I was injured, I called off the wedding. She talked me into it saying if I waited, I wouldn't want to marry her. Boy, was she ever right.

She filed a false allegation that ultimately got me removed from our house, a house that had been completely remodeled by me. I was forced to live in my truck. I had 200 a month to live on. I couldn't even take care of myself and needed pin site care 3 times daily which my ex had committed to doing. I had to learn to reach my own pin sites. My Dr. told me I was the 1st he's ever seen do that. I could have ended up with a brain infection.

Living at the park was my survival. I fed the geese by day and prayed at night.

Two years later I finally got on SSDI. My son was a beneficiary due to my injury. He got 406.00 per month which went to the mother. She was now getting over 800.00 per month for one child. A child that she wouldn't let me see. Numerous time I tried to make contact, but each time, she refused.

When my WC case settled, I returned to MN. I had to work like heck to be able to see our son. I now have a great relationship with him. He's already 11. I asked the mother to get our child support paperwork updated by a notory. She refused. She didn't trust me. I didn't mind paying support one bit. I just wanted things to be current. I ended up going to court. The Judge ruled the state was in effect, double dipping, obtaining support from 2 sources.

Had she treated me right by making parenting time a 50/50 deal, I might have left things as is.

I liked that my son had a nice place to live.

I also wanted to update our parenting time paperwork that was outdated. She refused me again.

Jumping forward. She threated to call the police on me for not wanting to bring our son back to her until the next day

I refused because our paperwork showed I was right and she was wrong. It didn't matter. I let her come get him. I then took her to court for contempt and for more parenting time. That was a year ago. We have yet to go to trial. Ramsey County here in MN is as corrupt as can be.

I am fighting back though. I will go to my grave to defend my rights and my son's right to have a meaningful relationship with his dad.

My son's mother's boyfriend Dan Becker, grabbed my son by the neck. The mother admitted it to me and now tries to minimize it.

The state of MN knows that he abused our son but has yet to even acknowledge it. The state is now trying to paint me as an abuser. They're doing this for one reason. Money that they get from the federal Government. It's called performance money. For every dollar collected in support, the state gets 4 from the federal Government. This is why they are refusing to give me(or you) joint legal and joint physical custody.

The incentive for the almighty dollar is too high for our state courts to do what's right. MN alone collects over 200 million per year, performance money from Uncle Sam.

Our kids are NOT whores to be used to fill the state coffers.

This crisis is a no brainer. Nobody should have to fight tooth and nail to love their own child(ren)

I am though. I love being a father for our son.

halo-ram,

Jeff