Kids Locked Up For Refusing To See Dad To Remain In Camp Until Custody Decided

PONTIAC (WWJ) - A trio of siblings who spent about two weeks in juvenile detention for refusing to see their father will remain in summer camp until a custody battle is resolved.

Wearing t-shirts printed with the message "Love is not Court Ordered," supporters of the children's mother were in Oakland County Circuit Court when Judge Lisa Gorcyca announced her ruling Monday morning.

Also in the courtroom was John Langlois, President of the advocacy group "Moms and Dads Group of Michigan."

Langlois defended the father, who is seeking sole custody of the kids — ages 15, 10 and 9.

"She was telling everybody in the media that the father did not love the children," said Langlois. "That's clearly the message she's sending at home, too; and, folks, that's parental alienation."

The case made national headlines earlier this month when Gorcyca ordered the Bloomfield Hills siblings to juvenile detention after they defied her order to have lunch with their dad. She backtracked last week, however, lifting civil contempt of court charges against the kids and releasing them to a summer camp.

The children have called their father, Omer Tsimhoni, a "violent man" — but he claims they were brainwashed by their mother during a long-running divorce case.

Langlois agrees that the mom, Maya Eibschitz-Tsimhoni, may be to blame for the siblings' refusal to see their dad.

"Children say the craziest things, and they bounce back and forth in what they say and everything...but a (child) had to be taught to hate their parent," he said.

Eibschitz-Tsimhoni's attorney, Andrew Abood, was questioned about the "parental alienation" issue.

"You know, the same thing they said on Mccarthyism, the same thing they said on the Salem Witch Trials, the same thing that any time allegations are made — it's a cliché. There are so many people in this state who would love to have a mother like Maya," Abood said.

Gorcyca also ruled Monday that the kids will receive physicals, in accordance with camp rules, and that the camp will coordinate separate supervised visitation with each parent.

Abood believe there's no way Tsimhoni will be granted sole custody.

"There will be no evidence that these kids are in any way bad children," he said. "They're great kids: good grades, socially...have great friends. They love each other; they love their mother. What we need to do it deal with their relationship with their father."

The next hearing in the case is set for Wednesday.