SOURCE

Alleged neo-Nazi's kids taken

By: Mike McIntyre

Updated: June 9 at 12:00 AM CDT

Child and Family Services recently seized two young kids from a Winnipeg home based on concerns their father -- an alleged neo-Nazi -- was filling their heads and marking their bodies with messages of hate, the Free Press has learned.

The government agency is seeking a permanent order of guardianship based on ongoing concerns about the safety of the seven-year-old girl and two-year-old boy.

A Court of Queen's Bench case is ongoing, with the next hearing set for today. The Free Press is not publishing the names of the parents to protect the identity of the children.

"The children may be at risk due to the parents' behaviour and associates. The parents might endanger the emotional well-being of the children," CFS wrote in court documents obtained by the Free Press.

Winnipeg police confirmed their involvement in the case, which came to a head in late March when school officials raised concerns about the little girl. A source familiar with the case said she showed up one morning in class with disturbing scrawlings on her body, including a swastika and the common white-supremacist tag of "14/88."

The number 14 refers to a familiar slogan containing 14 words -- "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children." The 88 represents the letters HH (the eighth in the alphabet) to mean "Heil Hitler."

Const. Pat Chabidon confirmed the father was recently interviewed based on allegations he was involved in "hate crimes involving children." Police had questioned him regarding similar concerns in 2005, he said.

No criminal charges have been laid at this time, but police turned the file over to CFS, Chabidon said.

Sources say a search warrant was recently executed at the family's home in south Winnipeg. Several items, including a computer, were seized.

The mother of the children is also named in the CFS application as being unfit to parent, based on her relationship with her husband. He is the young boy's father and the girl's stepfather.

"There are also concerns about parental drug and alcohol use in the home," CFS wrote.

The parents are believed to be fighting the application for guardianship on several grounds, including a belief their right to freedom of speech shouldn't be interfered with and a denial they are polluting the children's minds.

The couple couldn't be reached for comment, and their lawyer didn't return telephone messages.

They have not yet filed any affidavits outlining their position. A judge recently ordered a psychological report on the father as part of the ongoing case. The results have not been finalized.