In a chilling escalation of medical authority over parental rights, Massachusetts state officials forcibly removed five children from their home after the parents refused routine vaccinations for their 9-month-old baby — a decision they made on religious grounds.
What followed was something out of a dystopian nightmare: arrests, handcuffs, and a cross-state manhunt after the parents fled to protect their family. Now, one child is in state custody, the mother faces jail time, and critics are calling it a clear-cut case of government-sanctioned kidnapping.
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Isael Rivera and Ruth Encarnacion, homeschooling parents of five from the Worcester area, reportedly declined routine vaccinations for their infant, citing religious beliefs. The decision triggered a series of events that culminated in the Department of Children and Families (DCF) removing their children and the parents being arrested in Texas after leaving the state.
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According to a legal filing and family testimony, the couple’s conflict began after notifying their pediatrician, Dr. Behzad Goharfar, of their decision to delay or forgo vaccinations. They claim that during their final visit, Dr. Goharfar allegedly warned them that he would file a report with DCF — a 51A — if they did not comply with the state’s vaccination schedule.
Following this confrontation, Rivera and Encarnacion attempted to switch pediatricians, but soon after, DCF showed up at their home. Fearing state intervention, the family left Massachusetts for Texas. Days later, an Amber Alert was issued, and the couple was arrested and extradited back to Massachusetts, charged with parental kidnapping.
Critics say the couple was denied due process when a Massachusetts judge approved a Care and Protection Order without notifying the parents or conducting a hearing.
The couple’s attorney, as well as several advocacy groups, argue that no evidence of abuse or neglect has been presented.
Encarnacion now faces possible jail time, while the baby has been placed in state custody under supervised visitation. The remaining children’s whereabouts and custodial status remain unclear.
Dr. Goharfar, meanwhile, continues to practice medicine in Massachusetts. He has not publicly commented on the case.
The Department of Children and Families has not responded to requests for comment, citing confidentiality rules surrounding child welfare cases.
The case is gaining attention from constitutional and religious liberty organizations, who argue that it sets a chilling precedent.
“If refusing a medical procedure on religious grounds is now cause for government seizure of children, then every parent in the country should be alarmed,” said one legal advocate familiar with the case.
While vaccine mandates and parental rights remain a contentious issue nationwide, this case could become a legal test for how far state authority can reach into medical and religious decisions made inside the home.