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The last time Anke Doehm made our newscast was back in October, when we told you that she was locked in a custody battle over her 3 remaining adopted daughters. You’ll remember that her husband, and co-accused, David Doehm, committed suicide. That now leaves her as the only remaining parent who will have to stand trial for child cruelty for the death of her adopted daughter 13 year-old Faye Lin Cannon.

 

Well, just before the Christmas holiday, she lost a custody battle to her ex, David Cannon, and at this time, the 3 remaining girls are in his care in the US. The Family Court, after hearing from both sides, decided to release them from the Human Service Department’s protective custody, and the court awarded David Cannon full custody.

 

Today, we got a chance to speak with his attorney, and she told us that she is satisfied that these children, who have already been through a lot, will be properly provided for:

 

Roberta Magnus-Usher, S.C - Attorney for David Cannon

"We were not expected to be challenged by Mrs. Doehm considering the position she was in, considering the fact that one of the children had died in her care and that there was a pending criminal case coupled with everything else but they did challenge it, we filled for custody. Human Services had the children in their care, so that was another obstacle and at the point that Human Services had the children in their care, my client had not gotten access to the children. There is an exclusion order against him and against Mrs. Doehm and we understand that because Human Services and no one else in fact in Belize really knew who Mr. Cannon was. So we progressively try to change that situation by disclosing everything, by being up front with Human Services and allowing them to do the checks and balances that they needed to do. Regarding Mrs. Doehm, we presented all the evidence that showed and we think establish beyond a doubt that she was not a fit parent."

 

"We continue and we adjourn one more time I think after that for further hearing from her to give her testimony in addition to calling teachers, we call additional witnesses from San Pedro who had known the girls to give testimony and their testimony was heart wrenching. I am mindful of the fact that there is a criminal trial pending but as far as our evidence as we disclosed it in court I think established beyond a doubt these girls were neglected and that they were abused and the want and lack of care that a parent would have for their child was obvious. The teachers themselves, one teacher in particular got very emotional in his testimony because he had sought to reach out to these girls."

 

Daniel Ortiz

"Are you satisfied beyond being an attorney, a human being that your client is the right parent for these kids?"

 

Roberta Magnus-Usher, S.C

"Based on all the facts that I have been presented with, based on the period of time I got to know him for several months, I saw nothing indicating that he would do any harm to these girls. In fact I was assured that he had the capacity, the constitution to give the girls the kind of care and patience that they will need because they have been traumatized so they will need somebody who is able to understand that and to cope with whatever comes along."

 

We understand that Anke Doehm may have intended to call one of the girls to testify in her defense, when her case is tried. That won’t happen because the court refused grant her any kind of visitation rights. She only got 15 minutes to say good bye after the case was decided.