A family spanning Allegan and Cass County alleges former Judge Roberts Kengis jailed a father attempting to protect his 3-year-old from suspected abuse, stripped his parental rights, and that the judge’s successor reversed the incarceration and awarded full physical custody. After custody was restored, the biological mother allegedly enlisted CPS and Bethany Christian Services in a retaliatory effort using unsubstantiated mental injury allegations. The child was removed again. All claims are allegations; these cases have not been fully adjudicated.
In a pattern that spans two counties, two judges, and multiple agencies, one family is raising documented concerns about what they characterize as a retaliatory system — one that punished a father for attempting to protect his child while enabling the alleged abusers.
The account begins in Allegan County, Michigan, where Kyle, a father, attempted to protect his 3-year-old daughter from suspected sexual abuse by her biological mother and the mother’s boyfriend. Rather than investigate the abuse claims, then-Judge Roberts Kengis allegedly jailed Kyle and stripped him of his parental rights.
“Kengis violated Kyle’s rights. It cost him his job. It cost us our home.”
This marks the third documented report of wrongful incarceration carried out by former Judge Roberts Kengis reviewed by Clutch Justice. The judge who replaced Kengis ultimately ruled that Kyle never should have been jailed, awarding him full physical custody and effectively acknowledging the underlying miscarriage of justice. By that point, the damage was already done.
Retaliation Through CPS
With custody re-established, the biological mother is alleged to have retaliated. Upset over being ordered to pay child support, she allegedly enlisted CPS and Bethany Christian Services in an effort to reclaim the child through fabricated accusations. The allegations centered on “mental injury.” No supporting charges were filed. The child was nonetheless removed.
A court order bars the biological mother’s boyfriend from contact with the child. According to the family, the mother has violated this order repeatedly. No documented enforcement action has been taken in response.
The child’s stepmother reports that for nearly a year, she has not been permitted to speak to or mention her stepdaughter’s name — despite the absence of any allegations or charges against her. The child’s welfare remains suspended in a system that the family describes as actively protecting bad actors while punishing the protectors.
“Bethany Christian Services is siding with biological mom — who is making false paperwork on her behalf. The judge even ordered no contact with the boyfriend, but the mother has broken that order repeatedly.”
The family’s account, if corroborated by formal inquiry, would represent a documented instance of CPS and a contracted child welfare agency operating in coordination with a party who had already been subject to adverse judicial findings — while disregarding a standing no-contact order.
What Needs to Happen
This is not an isolated custody dispute. The documented record reflects a credibility and accountability crisis involving two county court systems, a state-contracted child welfare organization, and CPS. When unsubstantiated allegations override court orders, when agencies align with parties who have existing adverse findings, and when courts repeatedly incarcerate parents raising documented abuse concerns, the system is not malfunctioning. It is operating by design.
Clutch Justice is submitting formal inquiries to Allegan and Cass County officials, Bethany Christian Services, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Additional reporting will follow as responses are received.
If you’ve experienced similar misconduct in custody or CPS cases in Michigan, Clutch Justice wants to hear from you. Submit tips, documents, or accounts confidentially at clutchjustice.com/submit-a-story or by email at hello@clutchjustice.com. Anonymous submissions are welcome.
Sources and Documentation
Rita Williams, When the Courts Turn Against Protectors: One Family’s Fight Against Corruption in Allegan and Cass County, Clutch Justice (July 27, 2025), https://clutchjustice.com/2025/07/27/when-the-courts-turn-against-protectors-one-familys-fight-against-corruption-in-allegan-and-cass-county/.
Williams, R. (2025, July 27). When the courts turn against protectors: One family’s fight against corruption in Allegan and Cass County. Clutch Justice. https://clutchjustice.com/2025/07/27/when-the-courts-turn-against-protectors-one-familys-fight-against-corruption-in-allegan-and-cass-county/
Williams, Rita. “When the Courts Turn Against Protectors: One Family’s Fight Against Corruption in Allegan and Cass County.” Clutch Justice, 27 July 2025, clutchjustice.com/2025/07/27/when-the-courts-turn-against-protectors-one-familys-fight-against-corruption-in-allegan-and-cass-county/.
Williams, Rita. “When the Courts Turn Against Protectors: One Family’s Fight Against Corruption in Allegan and Cass County.” Clutch Justice, July 27, 2025. https://clutchjustice.com/2025/07/27/when-the-courts-turn-against-protectors-one-familys-fight-against-corruption-in-allegan-and-cass-county/.
