Thousands of Romanians protested in their capital Bucharest last weekend over Sweden’s refusal to return Sara and Tiana Samson to their Christian parents, Daniel and Bianca.
The girls are Romanian citizens from a Christian family who lived as residents in Sweden for nearly a decade.
They were seized from their parents by Swedish Social Services nearly four years ago after one of the girls made a false allegation of abuse, in a family dispute over not being allowed to have a smartphone or wear make-up at the age of 10.
The girl quickly retracted the allegation and subsequent investigations cleared the parents of any wrongdoing.
But Swedish authorities refused to return their daughters and put them in foster care.
SWEDEN’S REFUSAL TO RETURN GIRLS BECOMES AN INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT
Now the case has erupted into an international incident.
A showdown is looming between Romania and Sweden over the girls whose story is national news in Romania and an important issue for the Romanian government.
The Romanian Senate has unanimously approved a declaration demanding the immediate return of the Samson girls.
Senator and former Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean told CBN News he believes that Sweden has not taken the demand seriously.
“No reaction. It’s a simulation of cooperation from Sweden for eight months,” he said.
“They didn’t respond to a long list of questions and requirements of the Romanian government.”
“It’s violating the Romanian constitution because the girls belong to the Romanian state.”
WHAT LED TO THE GIRLS’ SEIZURE BY THE STATE
Sara and Tiana were seized while attending school in 2022 after Sara who was then 10-years-old lied to school officials about being abused by her parents.
She was angry that they would not allow her to have a smartphone or wear make-up.
Despite being cleared by official investigations and prosecutors finding no evidence of abuse, Swedish Social Services refused to return the girls.
Their parents Daniel and Bianca Samson told CBN News they fled back to Romania with their other five children, when Social Services threatened to seize them too.
SISTERS PLEAD TO BE REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILY
The girls have pleaded to be reunited with their parents.
CBN News showed video of them saying they wanted to go back to their family.
In a video call to her parents, Sara said: “The Social Services have ruined my life. I don’t have words to express how much they have destroyed my life.”
Tiana, in a phone video, said, “Just please take me home, I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Daniel told the Christian broadcaster one daughter has begun taking drugs, and both have attempted suicide multiple times.
CBN News reports Swedish Social Services have stated their intention to put the sisters up for adoption.
PARENTS ACCUSED OF RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM
In the Samson case, Swedish Social Services justified keeping the children by citing the family’s regular church attendance as evidence of “religious extremism.”
Daniel Samson said: “In Sweden (as a parent), as soon as you mention God, as soon as you confess your belief, you have a target on your back.”
“I do not recommend any Christian family to remain. If you’re hearing or reading this, leave.”
SWEDISH POLITICIANS CRITICISE THEIR NATION’S SYSTEM
Even Swedish politicians criticise their social services system.
One recently accused the agency of “kidnapping” children.
Last month, a local leader for the conservative Sweden Democrats was thrown out of the party for distributing leaflets that said, “Stop the Social Services from taking your children.”
In a statement to CBN News, Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare said: “The child’s best interests must be a primary consideration. Children also have the right to be heard, to have their views taken into account.”
That commitment doesn’t align with what happened to the Samson sisters.
WHAT A SWEDISH FATHER SAYS IS WRONG WITH THE SOCIAL SERVICES SYSTEM
Anders Karlsson, who also had a daughter taken by Social Services, began the Parental Support Agency, a non-profit initiative advocating for parents’ rights.
While Karlsson told CBN News many social workers are fair and professional, he alleges that vulnerable children are sometimes placed in the hands of unsuitable social workers and consultants, including individuals with questionable backgrounds, even criminal histories.
He further noted that there have been cases in which individuals allegedly falsified academic credentials and remained employed for years before the deception was discovered.
“I had one guy in our case, he had a ton of different identities in his background and was described by his friends as a notorious criminal.”
“The problem is when the train departs in the wrong direction, there are no brakes.”
“It just keeps going. And there is a lot of financial interest for having these kids in care.”
ROMANIA PLANS TO RAMP UP THE PRESSURE ON SWEDEN
Romanian politicians intend to ramp up the pressure on Sweden
“We are going to be in the streets,” said Senator Titus Corlatean.
“We are going to protest. The Romanian communities once again are organising themselves right now, and we are going to raise this issue at the international level.”
WHAT THE GIRLS’ MOTHER SAYS
Bianca Samson told CBN News: “The last three years have been very hard for us.”
“What the Swedish state did was very painful.”
“We are still fighting to get our two girls back home.”
“We’ve found peace in God through prayer.”
“We thank him for keeping us strong. We also thank our brothers and sisters in Christ for their prayers.”
“I BEG OF YOU GOD. PLEASE INTERVENE”
Daniel says all the family can do now is to give this situation to God.
“I’ve done my very best, God. And now it’s your turn, it’s your turn to intervene.”
“There’s nothing more I can do. They took these precious children from me, and there’s nothing else I can do.”
“I beg of you, God, please intervene. Please save these daughters because they are firstly yours. They are your children, first.”
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