Gila River

5-year-old Native American Boy to Remain in Ohio for Now

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A 5-year-old Native American boy at the center of controversy for more than a year will remain with his Coshocton County foster family, for now. Last week, the Ohio Court of Appeals reversed an earlier juvenile court ruling that would have sent the preschooler 2,000 miles from his home to a reservation in Arizona. The ruling stated the juvenile court should … Read more

Gila River Indian Community Weighs Options After Losing Indian Child Welfare Act Case

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Although the proceeding only involved one child, it’s being closely watched because the non-Indian foster couple is being represented by the Goldwater Institute. The conservative-leaning organization, which is based in Arizona, has launched a public relations and legal campaign aimed at undermining and even invalidating the landmark Indian Child Welfare Act. Read the full article … Read more

Arizona Court Upholds Adoption by Non-Indian Family

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Over the objections of a tribe, the state Court of Appeals has allowed a non-Indian family to adopt the child of a Native American mother. Read the full article at the Arizona Daily Sun website. See also “Arizona court rejects tribe’s appeal in girl’s adoption case” at the AZFamily.com website.

The Hard Lives — and High Suicide Rate — of Native American Children on Reservations

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[T]he silence that has shrouded suicide in Indian country is being pierced by growing alarm at the sheer number of young Native Americans taking their own lives — more than three times the national average, and up to 10 times on some reservations. Read the full article at the Washington Post website. Read the statement … Read more