Judge Menges is at it again—this time targeting a mother named Jacqueline, whose young son suffers from a serious medical condition called PKU (Phenylketonuria). For those unfamiliar, PKU is a rare genetic disorder that affects how the body breaks down phenylalanine, an amino acid found in many proteins. If not managed properly, PKU can lead to severe intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, behavioral issues, seizures, and irreversible brain damage. The key to managing PKU is strict and consistent dietary control, regular monitoring, and access to specialists who understand the disorder in depth.
Despite this, Jacqueline has been stripped of her ability to seek the best possible care for her child. Judge Menges issued a court order restricting her to only one specific children’s hospital—regardless of whether that hospital was adequately managing her son’s care. Jacqueline, doing her best under the limitations forced on her, continued to monitor and treat her son’s condition as responsibly as possible. He has had some struggles, which is not unusual for PKU patients, especially when proper resources are limited—but he was managing.
Then, today, everything changed.
Because her son reportedly got in trouble at school and wasn’t feeling well, Judge Menges removed him from Jacqueline’s custody and placed him into foster care. This action was taken not due to abuse, neglect, or medical mistreatment, but apparently because a chronically ill child was having a hard day—and because his mother dared to advocate for medical freedom outside of the narrow boundaries the judge imposed.
This is a developing story, and more details will emerge in the coming hours and days. But what is clear already is this: Judge Menges has once again weaponized the court system against a mother, this time putting a medically fragile child at even greater risk. When judicial overreach invades the realm of life-threatening medical conditions, the consequences are not just unjust—they’re dangerous.