Fathima Rifqa Bary, 16 from New Albany, OH

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hJLMa2rROo9H7Cx3ycwhj5uPXOMwD9E6JBB80
Ohio Muslim-to-Christian teen convert in court

(AP) – 43 minutes ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The attorney for an Ohio couple says they just want a reasonable chance to reconcile with their daughter, a teenager who converted from Islam to Christianity and ran away to Florida.

Seventeen-year-old Rifqa Bary and her parents appeared Tuesday before a juvenile court judge in Columbus as part of the girl's custody case.

Bary claims she would be harmed or killed for becoming a Christian. Her parents deny that. Their attorney, Omar Tarazi, told the judge they still have a moral and constitutional right to raise their daughter even though she turns 18 in August.

Bary fled to Florida last year, allegedly with help from Christian pastors.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/rifqa-bary--teen-muslim-to-christian-20100302,0,3225946.story
Rifqa Bary: Judge urges Rifqa Bary’s parents to work toward reunion
The teen wants a court to rule that a reunion with parents is impossible.

By Andrew Welsh-Huggins, The Associated Press
2:20 p.m. EST, March 2, 2010

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A judge urged an Ohio couple to stick with counseling toward a reconciliation with their teenage daughter, who ran away to Florida last year claiming she would be harmed for converting from Islam to Christianity.

Rifqa Bary's parents have denied their daughter's claim and had asked Franklin County Juvenile Court Judge Elizabeth Gill to scrap a deal reached in January that includes counseling as part of a reunion effort.

Mohamed and Aysha Bary said the county child welfare agency, which now has custody of the girl and developed the reconciliation plan, was allowing Rifqa Bary to talk to a Florida pastor who had sheltered her after she ran away. The couple believes that contact was hurting their chance for reconciliation.

Gill on Tuesday denied the parents' request, saying she recognized their frustrations but believed that the best course was to move ahead with counseling to heal the family.

"The only individuals that are going to be able to repair it are the three of you, with professional help," Gill said, addressing the parents and their daughter, who sat on opposite sides of the courtroom
Tuesday's hearing also touched on Bary's immigration status. Her attorneys raised the issue in a recent court filing that noted federal law allows "an undocumented immigrant minor" to receive permanent resident status when placed in long-term foster care by a judge. In court, Lloyd confirmed that the girl is an illegal immigrant.

"Unlike her parents, if reconciliation fails, at 18 then she is without legal status," Lloyd said.

The immigration status of the parents is unclear, although Lloyd said in court that the couple are "pursuing their own immigration relief." Attorneys have been under an order not to talk about the case.

The family alleges that Christian pastors helped her flee to Orlando, Fla., in July, and police in Columbus are investigating whether anyone broke the law helping her leave home. Police in Florida and Columbus found no evidence that the girl faced harm in Ohio.

A few people describing themselves as Christian supporters of the girl who said they didn't know her personally attended Tuesday's hearing, including retiree Don Berger, 70, of Columbus.

"Children's services and the court system need to protect her," Berger said.

Bary's case has drawn national attention, especially among bloggers, with anti-Islam groups warning she could face death and some Muslim groups saying she's being exploited by outsiders. Dozens of supporters of the girl rallied outside the courthouse this year before a hearing.

Earlier at Tuesday's hearing, the parents' attorney, Omar Tarazi, said the mother and father still "want a reasonable, good-faith chance for reconciliation" but recognize that time is running out.

"If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't," Tarazi said.

Rifqa Bary, who turns 18 in August, wants the court to rule that a reunion is impossible and that it is not in her best interest to be returned to her native Sri Lanka.

"She wants to practice the Christian religion and believes she would be in danger if she practiced that religion at home," said the teen's lawyer, Angela Lloyd. Noting that her parents want to back out of the January deal, she said their "actions continue to reinforce that."
Bonnie Vangeloff, a court-appointed attorney who represents the girl's rights as a child in foster care, told the judge the family is in deep need of counseling but that reconciliation is probably unlikely before the girl turns 18

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wesh.com/news/22715889/detail.html
Judge Orders Counseling For Religious Runaway
Pastor Who Helped Rifqa Talks Only To WESH 2
ORLANDO, Fla. --
A judge decided Tuesday counseling is necessary for a so-called religious runaway and her family.

The attorney for Rifqa Bary's parents said they just want a reasonable chance to reconcile with her and did not want the counseling.

The judge said that is the best course, but understood the parents' frustration with their daughter's contact with Pastor Blake Lorenz. Lorenz, a pastor in Central Florida for 26 years, took 17-year-old Rifqa Bary in when she fled to Orlando last summer, claiming that her parents would harm her for converting from Muslim to Christianity.

Her parents deny that claim.
Lorenz spoke exclusively to WESH 2 Tuesday after the judge's ruling to order counseling.

"We're excited for Rifqa that Rifqa wants that. I mean, we haven't pushed anything and the counselor believes it's good for her," he said.

Lorenz said Rifqa remains in contact with his wife, Beverly.

"It's more from a emotional religious aspect. She's calling to tell me about that, every area of life, her future. Yes, we pray with her, encouraging her to be strong until she gets to her 18th birthday and can be on her own," Lorenz said. "She fled for her life and we did what we believe anyone would do we reached out to help her. We took her in and got her the help she needed and protected her. If they have a problem with that, then they got a problem with being American."

Lorenz said he is not concerned that Ohio police in Columbus are investigating to see if any laws were broken.

"Our concern would be for Brian Williams, a young black pastor up in Ohio who helped her escape. People don't understand she ran away for her life before any of this other stuff. She had already run away from home before any of this happened," he said.
Lorenz said, despite published reports he contact nearly a dozen authorities including police, lawyers and judge before Rifqa came to his home and while she was there, ultimately he would like to see Rifqa reconcile with her parents.

When asked if he would do it all over again, Lorenz said "definitely."

[sleddogs]

Rifqa Bary Suffering from Cancer, Her Lawyers Bring in Her Parents

There has been a terrible development in the case of Rifqa Bary. According to Rifqa, she has been diagnosed with advanced uterine cancer

I ask all Atlas readers to put Rifqa in their prayers.

While this is a tragedy, how she is being victimized by her lawyers and her parents is an atrocity. Her lawyers kept her in the dark about her condition – cancer – for well over a week, while they conferred with her parents and their CAIR appointed lawyers about her treatment. While most cases like this result in a hysterectomy, she is only having the advanced malignancy removed. From what I understand, the survival rate in cases like these is 5%.

Was she allowed to get a second opinion? No.

While she was lying ill, her lawyers brought her parents to her hospital bed. She was strapped down for treatment and became very agitated and upset, and they had to be removed. She has broken her silence, a silence mandated by her lawyers, that she could not talk to her friends such as Jamal Jivanjee and those of us who have been unwavering in our support for Rifqa Bary’s civil rights and religious liberty.

Now she is scared. Her entire legal strategy was directed at keeping her safe and securing her immigration status, and here we are at the end of May and she has no immigration status. Upon her birthday in August 2010, she will be an illegal alien, in need of serious chemotherapy and cancer treatment. This is a horror.

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/05/rifqa-bary-suffering-from-cancer-her-lawyers-bring-in-her-parents-.html

[trimmonthelake]

  OMG,how horrible.

[trimmonthelake]

sleddogs,thank you for that post.   

[joesamas mama]

Rifqa Bary Suffering from Cancer, Her Lawyers Bring in Her Parents

There has been a terrible development in the case of Rifqa Bary. According to Rifqa, she has been diagnosed with advanced uterine cancer

I ask all Atlas readers to put Rifqa in their prayers.

While this is a tragedy, how she is being victimized by her lawyers and her parents is an atrocity. Her lawyers kept her in the dark about her condition – cancer – for well over a week, while they conferred with her parents and their CAIR appointed lawyers about her treatment. While most cases like this result in a hysterectomy, she is only having the advanced malignancy removed. From what I understand, the survival rate in cases like these is 5%.

Was she allowed to get a second opinion? No.

While she was lying ill, her lawyers brought her parents to her hospital bed. She was strapped down for treatment and became very agitated and upset, and they had to be removed. She has broken her silence, a silence mandated by her lawyers, that she could not talk to her friends such as Jamal Jivanjee and those of us who have been unwavering in our support for Rifqa Bary’s civil rights and religious liberty.

Now she is scared. Her entire legal strategy was directed at keeping her safe and securing her immigration status, and here we are at the end of May and she has no immigration status. Upon her birthday in August 2010, she will be an illegal alien, in need of serious chemotherapy and cancer treatment. This is a horror.

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/05/rifqa-bary-suffering-from-cancer-her-lawyers-bring-in-her-parents-.html

OMG, I haven't even read Atlas today Sledog. Thank you for the update. Prayers for Rifqa, her family, her attorney and CAIR should be removed from her life.

[Wyks]

Am shocked and stunned at what is going on with Rifqa!  I don't even have the words yet to further describe how I feel about what she has gone thru at the hands of so many entrusted with her care and safety... starting with her parents and ending with her attorneys in Ohio...   

My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are for her and those who only intend good toward her. 

My deepest and sincere wish for her at the moment is for some Godly Christian to be able to reach her and help her to understand that our God, her God, is a miracle-working God.  And He can and will continue to touch her heart and her life.  She needs to hold strong to her belief in Him, to know and believe that He also can bring her to a complete healing in body as well. 

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."  ~ Matthew 18:19-20   

Dear Lord, there are several Bible believing Christian monkeys reading this thread who come together in agreement online, holding Rifqa up to the loving care of God, for protection and for healing in body and spirit.  In Jesus name we pray.  Amen ~ so be it.   

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/5/25/report_runaway_teen_battling_uterine_cancer.html
 Report: Runaway Teen Battling Uterine Cancer
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 5:01:21 AM
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A published report says the teenager who ran away to Orlando after converting to Christianity has cancer.

A lawyer who once represented Rifqa Bary tells the Orlando Sentinel the teenager is being treated for uterine cancer and will have surgery this week.

Bary is in foster care in her home state of Ohio after an Orange County judge denied Bary's claims she would be harmed by her Muslim family for her religious conversion.

[Nut44x4]

  just too sad for words...

[MuffyBee]

just too sad for words...

Tragic 

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wesh.com/news/23693633/detail.html
Rifqa Bary To Undergo 3rd Cancer Surgery
17-Year-Old Religious Runaway Battling Uterine Cancer

POSTED: 6:55 am EDT May 27, 2010
UPDATED: 9:58 am EDT May 27, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. --
So-called religious runaway Rifqa Bary will have another cancer surgery on Thursday.

She is in the advanced stages of uterine cancer. This will be her third surgery.

The 17-year-old is undergoing her treatments while living with a foster family in Ohio.

Rifqa returned to Ohio after a lengthy court battle in Orlando.
#  Video:  Parents End Battle To Bring Rifqa Home   http://www.wesh.com/video/22280765/index.html

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.lakewyliepilot.com/2010/05/25/736950/teenage-christian-convert-in-ohio.html

Published: Tuesday, May. 25, 2010 / Updated: Tuesday, May. 25, 2010 03:39 PM
Teenage Christian convert in Ohio fighting cancer
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio --

A teenager who converted to Christianity and ran away from her Ohio home alleging she would otherwise be harmed has cancer and is undergoing surgery.

Seventeen-year-old Rifqa Bary fled Ohio last year and stayed with a Florida minister she met on Facebook. She is scheduled for surgery for uterine cancer Thursday.

Jamal Jivanjee (jih-VAHN'-jee) is a Florida minister and friend of the girl. He said Tuesday that Bary is expected to need several rounds of chemotherapy after the surgery.


The teenager from suburban Columbus returned to Ohio this year and has been in foster care while a judge tries to reconcile her with her family.

Bary's Muslim parents deny allegations she would have been harmed, and police found no evidence she was in danger in Ohio.

AP Photo - FILE - In this March 2, 2010 file photo, Rifqa Bary listens to the judge during a hearing to settle disputes between Bary and her parents in Columbus, Ohio. Bary, 17, who converted to Christianity and ran away from her Ohio home alleging she would otherwise be harmed, has uterine cancer and will undergoing surgery Thursday, said Jamal Jivanjee, a Florida minister and friend of the girl Tuesday, May 25, 2010. Bary returned to Ohio this year and has been in foster care while a judge tries to reconcile her with her family.

[Bearlyhere]

So sad.

God be with you and cure you from all that is affecting you, Fathima.

 

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/06/01/Attorney-for-Rifqa-Bary-pleads-not-guilty-in-releasing-information.html?sid=101
Attorney for Rifqa Bary pleads not guilty in releasing information
Tuesday, June 1, 2010  08:42 PM
By Meredith Heagney
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

An attorney for teen runaway Rifqa Bary has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts that she released confidential information about the girl and her family.

Rifqa's father, Mohamed Bary, filed a criminal complaint alleging that Angela Lloyd included in court filings information about his family's  dependency case from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services that should be sealed by law. The media have access to the case file.

Bary said Lloyd released such information as phone numbers and birth dates, and information about the Franklin County Children Services investigation.

Lloyd's attorney, Jeff Liston, said after a preliminary hearing in Franklin County Juvenile Court today that he does not think his client committed a crime.
If convicted, the charges, both fourth-degree misdemeanors, carry a possibility of jail time and fines, Liston said.

A trial date has not been set. Juvenile Court Judge Elizabeth Gill is deciding whether she should hear the case, considering her role overseeing Rifqa's case.

Rifqa, 17, ran away in July, accusing her father of threatening to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Authorities have not substantiated her report.

mheagney@dispatch.com

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wftv.com/news/24492758/detail.html
Former Religious Runaway Rejects Family Reunion

Posted: 5:37 am EDT August 3, 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A judge is scheduled to hear arguments from a Christian convert who says a reunion with her Muslim parents is impossible before the girl's 18th birthday next week.

At a hearing Tuesday, Rifqa Bary (RIHF'-kuh BAYR'-ee) is also expected to ask the Franklin County juvenile court judge for special immigration status to allow her to stay in the country.

The 17-year-old Bary is an undocumented immigrant from Sri Lanka who says she needs the status to continue medical treatment for uterine cancer.

Bary fled Ohio last year and stayed with a Florida minister she met on Facebook after alleging she could be hurt or killed for converting to Christianity.

Bary's Muslim parents deny she would have been harmed. Police found no evidence she was in danger in Ohio.

[Sister]

Trimm, thanks for the update.  My continued prayers for this young woman to be able to control her own life, including not seeing the bio.

[sleddogs]

Rifqa Bary refusing chemotherapy, court document says
Convert believes faith-healing cured cancer, according to motion
Tuesday, August 3, 2010  02:52 AM
By Meredith Heagney
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Cancer is the latest chapter in the story of Rifqa Bary, who ran away from home in 2009, saying her Muslim father would kill her for converting to Christianity.
JAY LAPRETE | ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cancer is the latest chapter in the story of Rifqa Bary, who ran away from home in 2009, saying her Muslim father would kill her for converting to Christianity.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/08/03/parents-want-court-to-force-treatment.html?sid=101
Christian convert Rifqa Bary is refusing chemotherapy for cancer because she believes that she was cured at a faith-healing event, according to a motion in Franklin County Juvenile Court.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/08/05/story-columbus-rifqa-bary-deportation-hearing.html?sid=102
Christian Convert To Remain In U.S.
Thursday,  August 5, 2010 4:39 PM
WBNS-10TV
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A magistrate ruled Thursday that a runaway Christian convert who was at odds with her Muslim parents will not be deported.

Rifqa Bary, 17, will receive special immigration status, allowing her to stay in the U.S., 10TV's Ashleigh Barry reported.

Bary's attorneys have said that the girl, who will turn 18 next week, is battling uterine cancer.

Bary ran away from home last year, saying that she feared harm for converting to Christianity.  Judges placed her in foster care.

The immigration status of the parents, who live in Columbus, was not immediately clear.

Stay with 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for continuing coverage.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wesh.com/news/24908540/detail.html
Religious Runaway Gains Legal U.S. Residence
POSTED: 11:42 am EDT September 7, 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A lawyer for a runaway Christian convert from Ohio who was also an illegal immigrant says the 18-year-old woman has gained permanent residency in the United States.

Kort Gatterdam, a lawyer for Rifqa Bary, said Tuesday the news means Bary can now start applying for a driver's license, Medicaid coverage and college scholarships.

Gatterdam says Bary, a native of Sri Lanka, received her permanent residency card last week and can apply for citizenship in five years.

Bary had sought the green card as she argued in court she could not reunite with her Muslim parents, whom she alleged threatened her with harm for converting.

Bary also sought legal residency to achieve health coverage as she battles uterine cancer.