POLICE RAID BOISE ACTIVIST RESIDENCE AND SEIZE FOUR CHILDREN

Article by Robert Rowe.

April 25, 2013 Boise, ID – After illegally entering into a Boise residence yesterday, police and Child Protective Services took custody of four children whose age ranged from five to 11 years old. The parents of the children are marijuana activists Sarah Caldwell, mother of two of the boys taken and Lindsey and Josh Reinhart who also had two boys taken away from them. The raid took place after a complaint was leveled at one of the children at his elementary school when the boy’s friend was caught with marijuana.

The school’s resource officer (an armed Boise Police Department officer) brought the child home after seven hours of confinement to the school office. Once at the home, the officer intimidated an elderly woman who was babysitting the children into gaining access to the house. According to a neighbor, the officer literally came face to face with the elderly woman during his intimidation process. No warrant was issued at this time however the officer threatened the babysitter with arrest for obstruction if she did not allow him entry for a well-child check.

After gaining entry to the house, the officer separated the four children from the babysitter and began to search the house. Upon finding marijuana paraphernalia and other items he deemed incriminating, the officer called BPD asking for a warrant to continue searching the premises. The warrant arrived hours later along with Child Protective Services who immediately took all four children into custody.

The warrant authorized officers to confiscate evidence which could be used in drug trafficking charges. Police confiscated several items including cell phones and receipts. Charges against the Reinharts are pending at the time of this writing. A hearing to determine placement for the children is scheduled for today.

BPD has not yet returned calls asking for comment on the situation.

Lindsey Reinhart, who uses the substance for medicinal purposes only, claims to not be involved in trafficking of marijuana. The State of Idaho does not recognize marijuana as a medical treatment for any reason. In fact, Idaho has some of the toughest anti-marijuana laws in the country despite the overwhelming public support for its use both medicinally and recreationally.

Caldwell and the Reinharts are actively pursuing the legalization of marijuana in Idaho which is the reason they believe they are being targeted. Lindsey, who is disabled, has frequently testified at hearings in the capitol on the merits of hemp production and marijuana use as a medical treatment for certain diseases such as cancer. Both have lectured across the state on these subjects as well.

In an interview, friend of the family and Founding Director of Moms for Marijuana International, Serra Frank stated, “The Reinharts and Sarah Caldwell were at a retreat in the mountains after attending the Moscow Hemp Fest when they found out their children were seized by the Child Protective Services.”

Moms for Marijuana International is an organization founded on April 4, 2005 for the purpose of educating and raising awareness on the issue of marijuana and hemp uses. It boasts members in 120 cities in 12 countries on five continents. “Our purpose,” says Frank, “is to change the perception in parents about the nature of marijuana. We have seen children across the country whose futures were destroyed because their parents called the police on them for possession when they didn’t have to do so. It is a shame that some of these children may spend up to 20 years in prison for nothing,” she continues referring to a child in Illinois who is serving just such a sentence.

Moms for Marijuana International plans to organize a national call to action campaign in an attempt to bring pressure to bear on local, state and federal politicians to change the marijuana laws in Idaho and to drop all proceedings against the Reinharts and Caldwell.

For more information on Moms for Marijuana International and how you can become involved, please visit their page here.

Google+
POLICE RAID BOISE ACTIVIST RESIDENCE AND SEIZE FOUR CHILDREN