Swedish CPS overreach against a Christian family
This story is wild. And it’s every parent’s worst nightmare.
A Romanian family, the Samsons, have been living in Sweden for nearly 10 years. In 2022, the parents had an argument with their then-11-year-old daughter, who wanted to wear make-up and have a cell phone. In retaliation for their decision, the daughter went to school and accused her parents of abuse. The state put both girls into separate foster homes…and although the eldest daughter retracted her claim and the state’s investigation found no evidence of abuse – the girls have not been returned to their parents.
A March 10, 2026, press release from ADF International stated the following:
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled a case brought by Christian parents Daniel and Bianca Samson against Sweden as inadmissible. The parents were seeking justice before the court to regain custody of their daughters, claiming a severe violation of their parental rights. The decision of inadmissibility is final and cannot be appealed. ADF International lawyers are now reviewing the decision together with the parents and assessing possible next steps.
The two eldest daughters of the Samson family were taken by the state in December 2022 after the eldest made a false report at school over her parents’ refusal to give her a phone and allow makeup, prompting allegations of “religious extremism,” even though she promptly retracted. The daughters have been separated from their parents, and each other, since December 2022, even though the state found no evidence of abuse.
“We deeply regret the Court’s decision to reject this case, considering that this family has been torn apart for over three years despite a full investigation that cleared Mr. and Mrs. Samson of any abuse and the fact that the Social Services certified their capacity and fitness for parenting after they successfully completed an official training. Families should be free to live according to their convictions without fear of losing their children to the state,” said Guillermo A. Morales Sancho, Legal Counsel for ADF International.
The European Court of Human Rights deemed the case inadmissible on the grounds of failure to exhaust legal remedies in Sweden, despite the legal team’s assessment that there were no further options for domestic recourse.
Specifically, the Court indicated that it did not consider there to be an apparent violation of the right to respect for private life under the European Convention on Human Rights. It further suggested that questions relating to freedom of religion may be raised before national courts, an option the Samsons may now pursue.
The state has cited the family’s regular attendance at church three times a week to corroborate accusations of “religious extremism,” despite the fact that this simply reflects their religious beliefs and is a protected action under international human rights law.
The parents can see each daughter once a month, on a supervised visit. Both girls are being housed in separate foster homes, located far away from each other. Both have pleaded with the courts to be reunited with each other and their family. Both have attempted suicide while in foster care.
You can learn more about this family and their case here: https://adfinternational.org/cases/samson-family
Can you imagine being a parent in this situation? Feelings of helplessness, worry, anger, and fear…coming in waves that are dashed against the rocks of the court’s latest ruling.
Step into the shoes of the daughters. Everything seems hopeless. How heavy is the regret? How scary does the future seem?
It would be easy to be mad at God in this moment. How could He let this level of blatant injustice happen to a family that is trying to live their lives according to their belief in Him?
Some may even argue that this latest ruling against the family is proof that God doesn’t exist, or if He does, then He doesn’t care. Why would He allow such pain to persist?
As I processed this story, empathizing with everyone involved, my thoughts landed on the Biblical character of Joseph. He was unjustly treated by his brothers, sold as a slave, falsely accused of a heinous crime, and wrongfully imprisoned. Eventually, he was released from prison to serve in Pharaoh’s court…but from the time he was sold into slavery to the time he was released from prison – 13 years had passed. That’s a lot of suffering. That’s a lot of days, wondering why God allowed such blatant injustice to impact his life. That’s a lot of nights, feeling alone and abandoned. You can read the full story in Genesis 37-41.
Later, when a severe famine struck the entire region, Joseph’s family came to him for help (even though they didn’t recognize him). The suffering that had God allowed over those 13 years had become the path that brought Joseph to the position where he could save his family from starvation. Years later, looking back on the events of his life, Joseph said this to his brothers:
Genesis 50:20
You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result
I am hopeful that the Samson family will find a legal way to reunification. We can and should pray that God makes a way as soon as possible. However, if God does not answer our prayers in the way we think their path should go…we can pray that one day, all members of the family will say the same thing Joseph did.
Trusting God isn’t always easy. But His track record shows that it is our best option. Even if there is pain, suffering, injustice, and heartache along the way.
Keep Pressing,
Ken