Nazi-named children will stay in foster care
An appeals court said Adolf Hitler Campbell and his sisters should not be returned to their parents.
TRENTON - A Hunterdon County couple who gave their children Nazi-inspired names should not regain custody of them, a state appeals court ruled Thursday, citing the parents' own disabilities and the risk of serious injury to their children.
The state removed Heath and Deborah Campbell's three young children from their home in January 2009.
The family had drawn attention a month earlier when a ShopRite supermarket in Bucks County refused to decorate a birthday cake for their son, Adolf Hitler Campbell. He and siblings JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell have been placed in foster care.
A family court determined there was insufficient evidence that the parents had abused or neglected the children. That decision was stayed until the appeals court could review it.
The three-judge appeals panel Thursday found that there was enough evidence and that the children should not be returned.
The panel sent the case back to family court for further monitoring.
A gag order remains in force and the parties refused to discuss the decision.
Heath Campbell had said last year he believed the children were taken because officials felt they were in "imminent danger." He accused the state of removing the children because of their names and said government officials were relying on unproved accusations made by a neighbor and by his ex-wife, who accused him of abusing her years ago.
The children's names and the birthday cake were not mentioned in the ruling Thursday. The court found there were myriad other reasons for continued protection services for the children.
Both parents are unemployed and both suffer from unspecified physical and psychological disabilities, according to court records. The court found that both parents had been victims of childhood abuse and said neither "have received adequate treatment for their serious psychological conditions."
Heath Campbell, 37, cannot read, and Deborah Campbell dropped out of high school before finishing 10th grade, according to court records.
The panel found that the parents "recklessly created a risk of serious injury to their children by failing to protect the children from harm and failing to acknowledge and treat their disabilities."
The judges considered an error-riddled note that Deborah Campbell signed and gave to a neighbor. In it, Campbell said that if she were found dead, her husband would be to blame.
"Hes thrend to have me killed or kill me himself hes alread tried it a few times. Im afread that he might hurt my children if they are keeped in his care. He teaches my son how to kill someone at the age of 3," the letter read in part.
Deborah Campbell later acknowledged writing the letter but claimed it was all a lie.
"She described her husband as 'a perfect guy,' " according to court records.