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Travis County Judicial District 126 Austin Texas

mother: Jan Barstow  (resume)
father: Leo Loza
children at age Protective Order was sought: Sterling (age 13),  Ian (age 11)

Problem:  Mr. Leo Loza is a con artist. Mr. Leo Loza's
uncanny ability to repeatedly convince the child agencies and
family court that he has 'never abused' Ms. Barstow or her children may indicate that he is also a SOCIOPATH. 

Not surprisingly, repeated psychologicals show him to be narcissistic
with poor impulse control and a sense of entitlement.

Website is being reformatted and links are being revised. Refresh often. Summary of Links

listen to the man
Listen to what Mr. Loza arranged with court to get
the children to cover up abuse  (brother covered up).

Psssst:   Mr Loza NEVER INTENDED
for the children to know their mother.

Reason Ms. Barstow Applied for Protective Order:

On September 1, 2005, Mr. Loza (again) physically assaulted Ms. Barstow at their son's soccer game in front of numerous children and parents.

Affidavit and Reason for Concern

Mr. Loza had assaulted Ms. Barstow on numerous previous occasions, including during pregnancy, through Sterling's infancy, and in a hallway filled with children and parents at the children's elementary school. The 2005 assault would be his second conviction for assault against Ms. Barstow. Mr. Loza continues to deny he has ever committed violence, despite numerous witnesses present during the assaults.

Mr. Loza also had denied Ms. Barstow access to her sons HUNDREDS OF TIMES during the five years prior to that assault. Only three months earlier, Mr. Loza's attorney, Michael Floreani, had fraudulently presented orders for signing that changed sole custody of the children to Mr. Loza. And only two weeks after the judge signed the orders, Mr. Loza again denied Ms. Barstow rightful access. His stated intent for the assaults was to keep Ms. Barstow from having any contact at all with her sons, now in his sole possession. Mr. Loza, who is extremely controlling, claims he was under no 'legal obligation' to provide the children to their mother.

NOTE: Excessive prior litigation and abuse, combined with repeated unlawful actions on the part of Mr. Leo Loza and the court-appointed representatives, had left Ms. Barstow unable to safely enter court due to severe and chronic Legal Abuse Syndrome (LAS), a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Legal Abuse Syndrome (LAS) is a psycholegal trauma, a form of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is a psychic injury, not a mental illness.  It is a personal injury that develops in individuals assaulted by ethical violations, legal abuses, betrayals, and fraud.
NOTE: LEGAL ABUSE SYNDROME IS A NATURAL AND NORMAL RESPONSE TO AN ABNORMAL, UNNATURAL, CUMULATIVE TRAUMA, AS WITH ALL POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERS.  ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY PERSON TO DISCREDIT AN INDIVIDUAL'S TESTIMONY, CHARACTER, OR ACTIONS DUE TO THEIR SUFFERING FROM LAS  [LEGAL ABUSE SYNDROME] IS TO CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE THE ABERRANT NATURE OF OUR SYSTEM OF PROBLEM-SOLVING.  ANY ALLY OF CIVILIZATION MUST CLEARLY IDENTIFY SUCH BEHAVIOR AS ABUSIVE, PUT A HALT TO DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS, AND DEVOTE THEIR ENERGIES TO RESTORATION OF VICTIMS OF THE "SYSTEMS".
-- Author, Legal Abuse Syndrome.

The circular diagram shows how legal proceedings, when abused, can cause injury to innocent parties.

How Legal Abuse Occurs

When CPS and the court believed Mr. Loza that Ms. Barstow had caused Sterling's injuries and that she was a danger to her sons, they removed the young boys from Ms. Barstow and gave them to the real abuser, letting her see her sons only a few hours a month (the youngest was still an infant and not yet weaned).

Legally, the misinformation persists. In an ugly turn of events that befalls too many abused children, the only parent who could protect the children is instead kept from them.

In Ms. Barstow's case, the county employees who acted unlawfully have since been promoted; Ms. Barstow has been awarded full disabilities (SSDI) for PTSD as a result of her court-related experiences. History (now dated)

In the fall of 2006, Ms. Barstow, who had been denied access to the court in a manner that accommodated her disability, was finally granted access to the court via video conference. Ms. Barstow filed for a Protective Order for herself and her children based on the following:

Sterling's notarized affidavit #1:

"Dear Judge, My name is Sterling Barstow Loza. Since I know how my dad feels about my mom, I would not feel safe at his house or anywhere around him when he finds out my name is on the document. My brother Ian would not be safe either. Please let us be with our mom when he finds out.
Thank you, Sterling Barstow Loza"

Judge Byrne initially honored this direct appeal from a child, but Judge Hathaway ignored it.

Sterling's notarized affidavit #2:

Please read all of this and don't let my dad see this because of what he will do to me and Ian (my little brother). Dear Judge, If I go back to my dad's house I will continually run away to be with my mom. I don't feel safe with my dad. My dad grabs me and hits me sometimes, and one time when I was sick and he didn't believe me, he got really mad and hit me while I was sick. After my dad lectures me, I would go into a temporary depression. This didn't happen occasionally, but it happened a lot, like every other day a lot. (By lecture, I mean yelling, screaming, continual insults, and shaking me hard when I turned my head.) The only way me and Ian get out of trouble is by lying to him. The past 6-7 times CPS came to my school, I lied to them, saying everything was OK and that my dad never hit me, because I was afraid of what my dad would say or do. Last year, I quit doing my homework until I was permanently moved in with my mom. My dad lies a lot, but only when his butt's on the line. He hates my mom and wants her dead. Plus my dad wouldn't let us visit our mom for years."

Judge Hathaway also ignored this confidential plea for help. He gave both letters to Mr. Loza.

The assigned Guardian ad Litem from Travis County Domestic Relations (who was reported by disinterested parties prior to the hearing as being 'chummy' in the halls with Mr. Loza's attorney while turning away Ms. Barstow's witnesses) testified in court that Mr. Leo Loza was doing a fine job of raising the children, even after--
-- physically abusing the boys
-- ignoring court orders to place the boys in counseling, even after Ian's attempted suicide
-- being convicted twice for assaulting the boys' mother in the presence of the boys, and
-- withholding the boys for hundreds of days (years) of visitations with their mother.

One can only wonder what harm such Systemic Betrayal does to a child.

Remember the term 'Systemic Betrayal'.  Used here, it refers to the apparent total breakdown in Travis County's family court system--not one person who commits wrong, but a whole system that hides the wrongs.

Too often, abused children are harmed twice:
  • once by the abuser and
  • again when they are betrayed by the
    family court system

Result:

Ms. Barstow's Protective Order on behalf of herself and the children was DENIED.

On October 5, 2006, Judge Byrne (sensitive to Disability accommodation) had granted a Temporary Restraining Order and sent the children to their mother. Two weeks later, Judge Hathcock (resistant to Disability accommodations and ignoring the children's pleas) DENIED the Protective Order and returned the children to their father.

Mr. Loza was Convicted of Assault by a jury of his peers. In a subsequent hearing, Domestic Relations (which had committed the original unlawful actions that resulted in Ms. Barstow's Disability and had factually lied to Judge Meurer, resulting in the children's placement with Mr. Loza) recommended the court 'keep the status quo'.

Again, what could Mr. Loza say that could be so convincing?

Why did Mr. Loza have the boys in the first place?

Early on, Sterling showed signs of abuse. In 1997, Mr. Loza, together with CPS and Mark Ashworth, the guardian ad litem (and now lead trainer) in Travis County's Domestic Relations office, said that Ms. Barstow's 'belief' that Sterling had been sexually abused had caused him 'emotional harm'. The court 'temporarily' placed the children in Mr. Loza's possession. To accomplish this,

In 2000, Judge Campbell ignored the findings of Dr. Robert C. Prall, the psychologist appointed by Judge Richardson for the children. Dr. Prall had testified in court that Leo Loza exhibited severe PAS (Parental Alienation Syndrome), meaning that Mr. Loza's irrational and obsessive hatred would cause him to stop at nothing to keep the children away from their mother (which Mr. Loza continued to do for another 5 years.) These court decisions only seemed to embolden  Mr. Loza; at least he is consistent.

In that hearing, Judge Campbell, a visiting judge, continued the temporary orders, but Mr. Loza's attorney, Mr. Floreani, did not present orders to be signed until 5 years later, when Mr. Loza presented fraudulent orders that differed from Judge Campbell's original ruling.

The 'temporary' basis became final in 2005 when Judge Campbell signed Mr. Loza's fraudulent document that awarded him sole custody. At this hearing, Travis County ignored published ADA requirements that Ms. Barstow be provided equal access to the legal process. Circumventing the assigned judge, Mr. Loza sought out Judge Campbell, who refused Ms. Barstow's Request for Accommodations, leaving her unable to enter the courthouse. Due to her Disability that prevented her from entering the courthouse, Ms. Barstow sat outside in a car while this injustice transpired.

Complicating matters is that the legal arm of the Texas State Bar (legal aid, advocacy agencies, attorney referral, etc.) was unwilling or unable to provide an attorney who was willing to assist or represent a person who could not enter a courtroom. Due to her Disability, Ms. Barstow was unable to appeal. (An attorney with Rio Grande Legal Aid told Ms. Barstow to 'go away' when she came to a free clinic to have her petition reviewed.)

* * * * *

NOTE:  This switch in custody provided Mr. Loza with tens of thousands of dollars in back pay originally destined for Ms. Barstow on behalf of the children via the Social Security Administration as part of her Disability.

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Clearly, Mr. Leo Loza is a con artist.

Mr. Loza said he was 'protecting' the boys from their mother -- without ever being required to show 'what' he had to protect them from.

It is worth noting that  Ms. Barstow has never been convicted of a crime, does not drink, smoke, or use drugs, has only excellent parenting references among those who know her, and has never been cited for harm to any child other than Mr. Loza's unsubstantiated claim that she is a danger to their two sons (but not to her other 3 children from a previous marriage). 

How did Mr. Loza explain his behavior? 

Mr. Loza told others that he kept the children away from their mother because--

  1. she suffers from Munchaussen by Proxy (she was tested by a specialist and does not);
  2. she is 'crazy' and vindictive (though she raised 3 other children with no incidence and freely encouraged parenting time with the other father, 24/7);
  3. she is 'homeless' (while she alternately lived in the six bedroom home that she owned in Lost Creek; in a family-owned Victorian home that occupied an entire city block within walking distance from the state capitol; and at her family's property at Windy Point Park on Lake Travis--Ms. Barstow uses the Lake Travis address for public records and keeps her personal residence private for safety, for obvious reasons);
  4. she will 'kidnap' the children (as told to the AISD police when Mr. Loza claimed he was 'preventing a kidnapping' when he assaulted Ms. Barstow as she arrived to exercise her period of possession at their elementary school);
  5. she is 'dangerous' due to PTSD, which occurred as a result of his excessive abuses (though children are not removed from war veterans, rescue workers, or others who have job-related PTSD).

After ignoring repeated court orders to place the boys in counseling, and even after Ian tried to kill himself, Mr. Loza said that they did not need counseling since 'the only problem is their mother' (reasoning that since they never saw their mother, they did not need counseling). When Dr. Robert C. Prall, the court-appointed psychologist, testified under oath in court that Mr. Loza was a severe parent alienator, Mr. Loza said simply, 'he lied'.

Others can determine if such an effective snow job is the hallmark of a con artist.

Mr. Leo Loza's blatant deceptions and abuses, combined with
his ability to repeatedly convince the family court that he has
'never abused' Ms. Barstow or their children
may indicate that he is also a SOCIOPATH.

NOTE:  Mr. Loza will claim that he is being slandered.  Ms. Barstow counters that when a thief is caught red-handed, to call him a thief is not slander, even if the thief would prefer that no one know.

Surely no one can be convicted for being a con artist or a sociopath. Rather, it is the pattern of behaviors over time that reveal a person's character.

The children's statements alone indict CPS, Domestic Relations, and the court. Mr. Loza's statements indict himself--he never intended for the boys to know their mother, and all his behaviors from the beginning have been consistent with that intent, just as Dr. Prall, the court-appointed psychologist, warned the court in sworn testimony.

How are the boys now?

Sterling says his father wants the boys to recant, so they try to keep to themseves. Meanwhile, Mr. Loza is bribing the boys with expensive gifts such as a motorcycle, top-of-the-line computer, latest X-box, and a large-screen TV, and he has opened a checking account for each boy with large monthly deposits.

Sterling and Ian privately signed another petition to change guardianship to their mother, but neither boy will speak or risk angering their father again. Ian begged his mother to just 'make it happen' (while they are not in their father's possession and without involving them so their father will not feel betrayed).

Both boys are extremely bright:

Neither boy receives counseling, though AISD did assist Ian at school. An AISD specialist was brought in to assess Ian following his attempted suicide. Any student of Art Therapy would immediately recognize these revealing drawings:

Ian's Draw-a-Family           Ian's Draw-a-House

Is anyone REALLY looking after the children's best interests?

It is unconscionable that the child-related agencies in Travis County would ignore so many warning signs -- and worse, to ignore them for so long.

How could this have happened?

Such refusal to protect children from abuse may have been due to lack of training in recognizing sociopathic patterns of behavior or to political ideation since both Leo and a number of agency personnel are gay. Or perhaps the child-related agencies have a vested interest in covering up abuse in order to avoid exposing their own negligence by refusing to protect the children. See the History (now dated) or Affidavit . To attorneys-who-know, these may be actionable claims.

It is easiest to believe that the agencies were simply CONNED, as Ms. Barstow was when she first invited Leo Loza to Austin.

At this time, Ms. Barstow simply provides the best role modeling for her sons that she can in the limited exposure she has to them. She has already helped her children immensely. 

No one who hears Ms. Barstow talk her son through his attempted suicide can question her parenting skills or her vital role in her sons' lives. transcript. Perhaps her influence can overcome that to which they have been exposed most of their lives.

* * * * *

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath, then . . .

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain why his behaviors appear to be without conscience and why he was willing to use the children to any extent possible to meet his own needs. For example, Mr. Loza told others that he had a child with Ms. Barstow because he wanted the 'Barstow genes' since he had an unrequited crush on Ms. Barstow's brother (who is not gay). He told Ms. Barstow during the first pregnancy, when the violence began, that he would take the newborn and that she would never raise him. A record showing that Ms. Barstow legally filed for sole custody 3 months before their son was even born validates that she had real concern about those threats. And Mr. Loza threatened Ms. Barstow's mother that Ms. Barstow 'owed' him a child and that if they tried to stop him, he would send the Mexican Mafia after them. (Note: It has been held against Ms. Barstow that she had a second child with Mr. Loza; in sequence, Ian was conceived the day Mr. Loza returned from his mother's funeral--it could not have happened any other time--and she discovered the pregnancy the day she kicked Mr. Loza out following increasing violence, as depicted live on "Rescue 911" (episode 612); since leaving, Mr. Loza has alternately claimed that he is homosexual, bi-sexual, asexual, and just plain sexual with no preferences or gender/age proclivities.)

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain why, after the children's births, Mr. Loza so successfully played the' victim role' as he sought the agencies' help to remove the boys from their mother, claiming she had Munchaussen by Proxy and myriad other ills that made her unfit (in his mind) to raise the two youngest of her five children--the two he wanted. No one heeded that Mr. Loza had already displayed excessive violence, even when the TV show "Rescue 911" (episode 612) aired his violence live on national TV; rather, Mr. Loza was able to convince others that he was merely defending himself from this 'crazy woman' and that the reports of violence and child abuse were only symptoms of Ms. Barstow's 'need for attention'.

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain his lack of a moral compass or empathy, as only a sociopath would intentionally sexually abuse a child and then use the child's outcries as the very tool to remove the children from their mother. If Mr. Loza were truly concerned about the child's 'emotional harm' (the legal reason cited for removal), he would have allowed counseling for him instead of expressly denying the court-ordered counseling once the children were in his care. To keep a child who had been clinically diagnosed as 'emotionally harmed' from counseling exposes Mr. Loza's pathological need to not be discovered. (Indeed, the source of the harm, from the child himself, was Mr. Loza; hence Mr. Loza's need to prevent detection.)

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain why Mr. Loza's behaviors are consistent with his inability to perceive or meet the children's emotional needs. For example, after convincing Judge Meurer that the boys needed to be removed from their mother for their own safety, he did not bring the still-nursing infant to be nursed according to the court-ordered weaning schedule, and he forbade the day-care provider from giving him a bottle, threatening to close her business down if she did. Mr. Loza routinely ignored other court orders such as taking the boys to counseling (even after learning that one child had tried to kill himself) or bringing them for visitation when they had made other plans, eventually not bringing them at all (Sterling saw his mother for only 4 days in 2004). These decisions met Mr. Loza's need to isolate the children and exert total power and control, but at the children's expense.

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain his superficial charm and glibness that others interpret as likable, genuine, and sincere. One example of his disarming charm was his response when a mediator apologized for delaying the session due to her mother's bout with cancer. Mr. Loza hugged her, claiming he knew just how she felt because his own mother had recently died of cancer (when she had not; she died quickly of the junta virus--rare enough--but not cancer). And Mr. Loza routinely describes himself as 'pre-law', 'pre-med', or a psychology major with 'advanced training in mediation', depending on the audience--even though, now in his 50s, he has never completed college.

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain why, after all these events, he is still able to garner support from the very agencies he should be most concerned about evading. Mr. Loza goes to the head of the train and steers it, using all evidence that could be used to expose him to instead convince those aboard that he is merely maligned, a victim of the greatest magnitude, the object of a vendetta all these years. He prides himself on his 'silver tongue' as others swallow hook, line, and sinker.

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain the ease with which Mr. Loza has been able to evade and play the legal system to bolster subsequent legal actions, knowing that rotating judges on a case breaks continuity as each judge presumes that the previous judge made a fair and informed decision. In fairness to judges, they had to rely heavily on input from agencies, who were patently, blatantly, openly protecting Mr. Loza from the 'crazy woman' (because they, too, had been snowed). Mr. Loza excels in rallying agencies and others (especially women) to his aid.

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain the sadistic joy he takes in the pain of those he targets. For example, after many years, he still feigns concern for Ms. Barstow's 'unfortunate condition' while insisting to those close to him that Ms. Barstow is a loser and would be better off dead.

If Mr. Loza is indeed a sociopath , that may explain his clear contempt for the law and the rights of others, clearly demonstrated through the years.

Forget what Mr. Loza says (when he knows people are listening); rather,
  • Listen to what he says when he is unguarded.

  • Listen to the children.

  • Read the record.

  • Notice the timeline:  legal filing due to concern about Mr. Loza's irrational and abusive behaviors began before the first child was even born.

  • Look at the criminal behavior:   Mr Loza has two convictions for assaulting Ms. Barstow, and other assaults are on record.

  • See the pattern--it is consistent.
Only a consummate con artist or true sociopath could snow so many for so long.
Travis County has been had.

This is not likely the first time Travis County has let its children down; the problem appears systemic.

"The truth is incontrovertible;

malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it,

but in the end, there it is."

                                                        -- Winston Churchill
* * * * *

The family court is a playground for those who fear no law and have no moral compass.  

To learn more about Sociopaths (term used interchangeably with psychopath, but without the ax-murderer connotation), see:

Profile of a Sociopath -- informative profile.

The Unburdened Mind -- excellent and brief article, a good overview.
 
The Sociopath Next Door -- a brief summary reads: "We think of sociopaths as criminals in prison or as dictators of Middle Eastern or Latin American countries, but in fact sociopaths are often the petty tyrants in our lives--high school teachers, cheating spouses, your awful boss. The 4% of ordinary people who have no conscience--no capacity to feel shame, guilt, or remorse--can do absolutely anything to other people without ever feeling guilty . . . These sociopaths learn early on to show sham emotion, but underneath they are cold as a snake and live to dominate and win. THE SOCIOPATH NEXT DOOR is about recognizing sociopaths. What is their behavior like? What goes on in their minds?"

What Psychopath Means -- subtext, It is Not Quite What You May Think -- Superficially charming, psychopaths tend to make a good first impression on others and often strike observers as remarkably normal. Yet they are self-centered, dishonest and undependable, and at times they engage in irresponsible behavior for no apparent reason other than the sheer fun of it. Largely devoid of guilt, empathy and love, they have casual and callous interpersonal and romantic relationships. Psychopaths routinely offer excuses for their reckless and often outrageous actions, placing blame on others instead. They rarely learn from their mistakes or benefit from negative feedback, and they have difficulty inhibiting their impulses.  Among myths exposed: All psychopaths are violent (false: some are, many are not--thus their presence among us). All psychopaths are psychotic (false: most are highly rational, but act purposefully without conscience). Psychopathy is untreatable (false: core values are not treatable, but criminal behavior can be curbed).
 
Bad Boys, Bad Men -- Dr. Black's book about sociopathy. What is very disturbing about psychopaths, besides their sense of special entitlement, is the complete lack of empathy for normal people, for "antisocials (psychopaths) seem to lack a conscience, feeling little or no empathy for the people whose lives they touch...the antisocial effortlessly resists all regulation, unable to see beyond his self-interest or to adopt standards of right versus wrong." (Black, XIII).

It's important to note that "in a psychiatric context, the term antisocial has nothing to do with a person's ability to socialize and is not used to describe those who are shy, inhibited, reclusive, or withdrawn. Rather, it implies a rebellion against society, a denial of the obligations that tie individuals to one another. People with ASP (psychopathy)can be expertly social, adept at manipulating others when it serves their devious purposes, but their relationships tend to be superficial, short-lived, and bereft of trust." (Black, XIIII).

While charming, they seem confident because of the way they brag and bolster themselves. Dr. Black states that one of the most obvious signs of psychopathy is the way the individual will brag about his experiences, no matter "how unsavory...his apparent comfort with his deviant behavior, the ease with which he discuss(es) breaking every rule, (is) consistent with ASP (psychopathy)." (Black, 68).

Without Conscience -- the classic book by Dr. Hare, a must-read. Dr. Hare says that Psychopaths don't feel they have psychological emotional problems, and they see no reason to change their behavior to conform with societal standards they do not agree with.

Lying is like breathing to the psychopath. When caught in a lie and challenged, they make up new lies, and don't care if they're found out. As Hare states, "Lying, deceiving, and manipulation are natural talents for psychopaths...When caught in a lie or challenged with the truth, they are seldom perplexed or embarrassed -- they simply change their stories or attempt to rework the facts so that they appear to be consistent with the lie. The results are a series of contradictory statements and a thoroughly confused listener." (Hare, 46).

Psychopaths have "an uncanny ability to spot and use 'nurturant' women -- that is, those who have a powerful need to help or mother others." (Hare, 149).

"Alienating parents will profess that they have the
best interests of the child at hand, but
they are incapable of acting in the
best interests of the child.

It really takes a very disturbed and obsessed individual
to harm a child by brainwashing them
and to remove a loving parent
from the child's life."


Dealing with a psychopath (term used interchangeably with sociopath) can be very troubling for a community, especially since, when he is through, his target will end up being falsely vilified. When Dr. Tim Field (of Bully Online) was recently asked what one can do when faced with the problem of sociopaths and the apparent absence of justice when it comes to their behavior, Dr. Field's response was: "The main lesson I have learnt is that when dealing with a sociopath, the normal rules of etiquette do not apply. You are dealing with someone who has no empathy, no conscience, no remorse, and no guilt...It is a completely different mindset. Words like 'predator' and 'evil' are often used."

In the end, it will be the victim and the community who must deal with the aftermath of all the psychopath leaves in his wake. If one even attempts to expose a psychopath, the one who stands up will be discredited as 'defective', and the psychopath will make himself out to be the real victim. As John Wayne Gacy once said, "I was the victim, I was cheated out of my childhood."
Is Ms. Barstow afraid of Mr. Loza?

Yes, she is--as each of us should be of anyone without a conscience.

Ms. Barstow is afraid that Mr. Loza will have her killed--by contract or by 'accident'--if she succeeds in court. Her fear may be founded. Years ago, before Sterling was born, Mr. Loza threatened both Ms. Barstow and her mother that he would send the Mexican Mafia after them if she did not give him the baby to raise when he was born. Mr. Loza said he would raise Sterling alone, without a mother.

He knows the system. He has the con. Seeing this history, and seeing how brazenly Mr. Loza defies the courts and authority (his sister served time in prison for conspiracy in the murder of her husband), what would you do if you were in Ms. Barstow's position?

Summary of links on page

some links open in a new page
excerptall

transcript (PDF)
Ian revealed that Sterling lied to CPS about abuse because of their father's agreement with court that if he or Sterling told anyone about abuse they would never see their mother again
excerpt
Mr. Loza argued it is in the 'children's best interest' to not see their mother at all
excerpt
Mr. Loza ignores court orders and threatens to (again) deny summer visitation
html
Dr. Prall, the court-appointed psychologist, testified Mr. Loza is a severe Parent Alienator, obsessed with keeping the children from their mother
html
Mr. Loza withheld the boys hundreds of times between 2000 and 2005--no weekdays, no weekends, and only a few hours on holidays (with their sisters)
excerpt all

transcript (PDF)
Mr. Loza assaulted Ms. Barstow again to keep her away from the boys--during her period of possession! (found guilty in jury trial; still, the Judge denied Ms. Barstow a protective order)
excerpt
Mr. Loza verbally taunted Ms. Barstow re. his successive courtroom wins
html
Mr. Loza committed fraud on the court by giving himself sole custody, differing from judge's decree
html
Dr. Katarzina Mitros, who provided care for boys, caught Mr. Loza in several lies, including his warning to her that Ms. Barstow was dangerous because she had Munchaussen by Proxy
html
Heidi Cornelison quit watching Ian after Mr. Loza threatened to have her Day Care closed down
html
Mr. Loza lived with Ms. Barstow's mother for several years; Mr. Loza threatened the Mexican Mafia
html
Mr. Loza had a history of committing violence and deception
file (PDF)
Mr. Loza lived with Ms. Barstow's family and called Ms. Barstow's mother 'Mom'; she saw more than anyone--worth reading
html
Ms. Barstow's Affidavit and the need for concern--an easy-to-read written summary
file
Sterling's Affidavit and letter to the court
PDF
Ms. Barstow's resume showing professional integrity and community service
html
Ian's revealing Draw-a-Family artwork for the AISD specialist
html
Ian's revealing Draw-a-House artwork for the AISD specialist
excerpt all
Ian's suicide attempt as his mother talked him through the heart-wrenching ordeal
PDF
Transcript, Ian's suicide attempt
html
Ms Barstow was conned, too, though it took her a while to catch on how he did it
html
CPS said Ms. Barstow's 'belief' that Sterling was abused caused him 'Emotional Harm'
PDF
CPS negligence revealed when then-Senator Gonzalo Barrientos initiated internal investigation
web
Sociopath description
web
Legal abuse info
web
In the Beginning . . . History (now dated)
web
ADA requirements related to court access

Legal Abuse Syndrome (LAS) is a psycholegal trauma, a form of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is a psychic injury, not a mental illness.  It is a personal injury that develops in individuals assaulted by ethical violations, legal abuses, betrayals, and fraud.
NOTE: LEGAL ABUSE SYNDROME IS A NATURAL AND NORMAL RESPONSE TO AN ABNORMAL, UNNATURAL, CUMULATIVE TRAUMA, AS WITH ALL POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERS.  ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY PERSON TO DISCREDIT AN INDIVIDUAL'S TESTIMONY, CHARACTER, OR ACTIONS DUE TO THEIR SUFFERING FROM LAS  [LEGAL ABUSE SYNDROME] IS TO CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE THE ABERRANT NATURE OF OUR SYSTEM OF PROBLEM-SOLVING.  ANY ALLY OF CIVILIZATION MUST CLEARLY IDENTIFY SUCH BEHAVIOR AS ABUSIVE, PUT A HALT TO DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS, AND DEVOTE THEIR ENERGIES TO RESTORATION OF VICTIMS OF THE "SYSTEMS".
-- Author, Legal Abuse Syndrome.

Contact Ms. Barstow

You can contact Ms. Barstow through the Message Board, which serves as a filter to prevent spambots. She will receive it and respond.

There is much to learn about protecting the vulnerable among us from sociopaths and the rogue or naive agencies through whom they operate. Being a solution-oriented person, she wants to design a Pilot Project to keep others from experiencing the same judicial conveyor-belt-to-injury that caused such harm to her. She has compared it to being on a train-ride to Treblinka with no way to get off, but that's where the Pilot Project comes in--the EXIT strategy.

Ms Barstow is looking for information to help her in this effort.

Your Turn to Talk: this area being developed

If you or a friend have had similar experiences or if you know of information that can help, please let us know. We ask only that you post useful stories, links, comments, or suggestions, and refrain from derogatory remarks.

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