Santa
Clarita social workers have taken six-year-old Lexi, pictured inset
with her family in dark glasses, from her foster parents Rusty and
Summer because she is Native American and they are white. Six-year-old Lexi sobbed as Rusty reluctantly handed the child over to the Department of Children and Families, right. Her devastated foster mom and siblings looked on, shouting they loved her. Lexi, who has only ever know the Pages as her parents, is one-and-a-half per cent Choctaw Native American. Because of the 'Indian Child Welfare Act' - a federal law passed in the 1970's aimed to protect the best interests of Native American children - she must live with Native American parents. Supporters of the family wept outside the home when she was taken, left.
Social workers seized a hysterical six-year-old girl from the home of her white foster family on Monday because she is part Native American.
The
child, Lexi, sobbed, clinging to her foster father Rusty Page as he
reluctantly fought through a crowd to hand the child over to the
Department of Children and Families in Santa Clarita.
In a disturbing video from KTLA, Lexi screamed, begging Rusty, 'don't let them take me away', as she was removed from her family.
As
Lexi was placed in the back of a black car with government workers, her
foster mother Summer Page burst from the home screaming 'I love you,
Lexi'.
Six-year-old Lexi (in pink) was
removed from her foster parents, Summer and Rusty (pictured) because she
is Native American and they are not
Summer (center) screamed 'I love you,
Lexi' as the girl was taken away. Her siblings also sobbed and screamed
as their sister was taken from them
The removal of the six-year-old from
the only home she's ever known caused a disturbing scene in Santa
Clarita on Monday afternoon
Lexi's foster siblings screamed 'no' over and over, crying hysterically as their sister was taken.
Droves of protesters and reporters stood by helplessly as the family's screams continued to echo out into the street.
The
horrifying scene came days after Rusty and his wife Summer were denied
an emergency stay to keep the part-Native American child.
Summer and Rusty raised Lexi for the last five years and spent the last two-and-a-half trying to adopt her with no success.
Because of the Inadian Child Welfare
Act - a federal law from the 1970s - Lexi must live with Native
Americans even though the Pages are the only family she has ever known
Graham (center) and Lena Kelly (rear) Lexi's foster aunt and uncle, break down on the street after family services came to take Lexi away
Lexi had become a family member to the Page and Kelly family after five years as a child in their family
Lexi was 17 months old when she became
a part of the family. Her removal devastated extended members of her
foster family, like her foster uncle Graham Kelly (pictured)
Lexi, who has only ever know the Pages as her parents, is one-and-a-half per cent Choctaw Native American.
She was 17 months old when she was removed from the custody of her biological mother.
Because
of the 'Indian Child Welfare Act' - a federal law passed in the 1970's
aimed to protect the best interests of Native American children - she
must live with Native American parents.
'Quite
frankly, when Lexi is old enough to understand what happened to her, I
think that would lead to resentment of her heritage, not embracing of
the culture,' Rusty told ABC 7.
Protesters
spent the night wrapped up in sleeping bags and in tents outside of
Rusty and Summer Page's Santa Clarita home on Sunday.
Rusty Page (left) sobbed as he pleaded
with the county not to take Lexi away from the family. Rusty and Summer
have tried to adopt the girl for two years with no success
Protesters gathered to try and prevent
Santa Clarita officials from removing the girl but could only watch as
the child was removed
On
Monday morning, a crowd of more than 50 people holding signs and
singing hymns still stood in solidarity with the Page family.
The demonstrators were trying to prevent the Department of Children and Family Services from coming overnight to remove six-year-old Lexi from Summer and Rusty's care.
The DCF was set to remove Lexi at 10am on Sunday, but postponed is due to the group of protesters.
Before Lexi was handed over, Rusty addressed the crowd to tell them the news.
'Despite our pleas to the county, we received word the county has every intention of taking Lexi today.
'And we will, with very heavy hearts, comply with the order and we'll be waiting here for them to come take her,' Rusty said.
Overcome with grief her turned from the crowd: 'That's all I can say.'
Protesters camped out overnight in front of the Page's house in an attempt to deter the DCF from taking Lexi
Rusty and Summer have tried to adopt
Lexi for more than two years but have been unsuccessful in their
attempts and have lost her to the Department of Children and Family
Services
'As
a grandmother, it's ripping my heart. It's ripping me apart to see Lexi
has been a part of our family for almost five years, and she's not
going to understand what's going on.
'The
children are not going to understand the separation. This is going to
destroy these children,' Tari Kelly, Lexi's foster grandmother, told ABC 7.
On Monday, Rusty choked back tears as he pleaded with Child Welfare Service not to break up his family.
'As
a matter of simple human decency, we implore the county not to
prematurely take Lexi from her home,' Rusty said between sobs as he read
from a statement.
He later told ABC 7,
Lexi and his other biological children with Summer - a nine-year-old,
another six-year-old and a two-year-old - have not been told what is
about to happen.
The family has had Lexi since she was two years old and Summer and Rusty are the only parents she's ever known
'They have no idea what's going on. I come outside to cry and go back inside to play in the backyard with them,' he said.
The Pages were under specific orders not to tell the children about Lexi's removal.
'Lexi
doesn't know another home. She finally knows what mom and dad means and
they want to take that away from her. and we can't stand idly by while
that happens,' Rusty told Fox 11.
The family took the case to court, but their most recent emergency stay was lifted.
The family filed an emergency stay with a court, but it was lifted allowing the DCF to remove her on Monday
Lexi's tribe, the Choctaws, said they
just want what's best for Lexi and have decided to place her with a
non-blood relative in Utah
'This little girl, we are her home. This is her family and that can all be rocked tomorrow,' Summer said.
The
Choctaw tribe has decided to place Lexi with extended relatives in
Utah, who are not Native Americans and will not be living on the
reservation.
The
court decided Lexi will be sent to go live with the extend family in
Utah, where her family members have been fighting for her for the last
three years, according ABC 7.
They've also made monthly visits to see her.
In a statement, the tribe said it wants what is best for the child.
'The Choctaw Nation desires the best for this Choctaw child.
'The tribe's values of faith, family and culture are what makes our tribal identity so important to us.
'Therefore
we will continue to work to maintain these values and work toward the
long-term best interest of this child,' it said.
A petition has been signed by more than 40,000 people to keep Lexi with her foster family
The non-blood relative is not Native
American and does not live on a reservation. The family was under orders
not to tell Lexi or their other children what was about to happen
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