Reduced Child Custody Rights For Mom Who Refused To Vaccinate Child

PONTIAC (WWJ) - A Michigan judge has reduced the child custody rights of a woman who was jailed for not following through on a court order to vaccinate her nine-year-old son.

Oakland County Judge Karen McDonald ruled Wednesday that Rebecca Bredow will no longer have primary custody of the boy but will share joint custody with her ex-husband, James Horne.

Bredow says vaccinations go against her religious beliefs.

In explaining her decision, McDonald pointed out that Breedow of Ferndale, together with her attorney, signed an order in November 2016, agreeing that the child would be vaccinated.

McDonald said that there was never an appeal of that order, and that Breedow never asked to have the order set aside.

The court order stems from an earlier custody hearing where the boy's father said he wanted the vaccinations for the child. Breedow told WWJthat she objected to grouping the shots together. [Get more details about the case].

Bredow expressed shock at the ruling. Her attorney plans to appeal.

Michigan is one of 17 states that allows for medical, religious, and philosophical exemptions from vaccines.