(SANTA ROSA COUNTY) --- Medical kidnapping.
Those two words have caused irreparable damage to Keenlee Zuraff, a Santa Rosa child taken from her mother, Joy, based on the allegation that has separated the mother and daughter for nearly two years.
In 2024, five-year-old Kenlee was removed from her mother due to a medical disagreement regarding the child's cystic fibrosis. That disagreement led the Department of Children and Families to attempt to terminate Joy's parental rights.
Jacob Rockwell is one of thousands following the story, as seen in his April Facebook post.
"I wrote that post that pretty much tells it as far as I know," Rockwell told OpGov.News. "There's a big gag order on the court hearings, so you really don't know what's going on, because she can't talk about it, the lawyer can't talk about it, and nothing's coming out of the courtroom."
(Photo: Local Jacob Rockwell Facebook post on the removal of Kenlee Zuraff from her mother, Joy, due to a medical disagreement)
Up until April, Joy Zuraff had to travel to Jacksonville since 2024 to visit Kenlee, who was five years old then. That is what concerns Rockwell the most.
"Cystic fibrosis patients don't live very long anyway," Rockwell said. "You're talking maybe a maximum 28-to-30-year lifespan, so 2 years away from her mom is like 10% of her life."
He's right, and one of many who follow the story.
Freekenlee.com tells the story in full, offering body cam, while the Miami Herald reports the story, adding important information, including Senator Don Gaetz, Zuraff's elected representative, in support.
(YouTube Video of DCF camera footage of Kenlee Zuraff being removed from home)
"Four state senators have become involved in a Panhandle woman's two-year-long child custody dispute, pressuring the state to reunite her with her daughter and even representing the mother in court," the Miami Herald reports.
However, debate over medical freedom has opposing sides, according to the notable newspaper, which reported, "Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration and Zuraff's brother and her mother have defended the decision to remove the child from her home."
Senator Gaetz said he will continue to fight for his Navarre resident.
(Photo: Youtube)
"I plan to increase my interest in the case, and increase the number of calls I make, meetings that I have with the secretary, until we can see some sort of a plan," Gaetz told the Miami Herald.
BrokenTruth.tv also follows the case, posting protests, interviews, courtroom step press conferences, including Human Rights Attorney Leigh Dundas.
(Photo: Human Rights Attorney Leigh Dundas holding a press conference on court steps)
"The Kenlee case received national attention when three now-removed DCF workers were caught on camera smirking and grinning during the abduction of Kenlee from her mother Joy under armed police oversight," BrokenTruth.tv reports.
"I just saw the story online and started digging in and investigating and finding out the different details," Rockwell said. "I watched the body cam from the police officers when they went in with the DCF to remove Kenlee from the house, and it was just horrifying."
Rockwell does not stand behind many causes, but when "a state agency comes in and just takes a kid out with no warning whatsoever just because she disagreed with a single doctor," he acts.
The motivation does come from fear, Rockwell admits.
"That's exactly why I got into this, because this could happen to any one of us," Rockwell said.
(Photo: OAN video)
Rockwell's April post describes Zuraff's case with simple accuracy:
"Kenlee was removed over a disagreement with her doctor. Not abuse. Not imminent harm from a drug addict parent. But because the mother disagreed with a doctor. Kenlee was getting treatment for her condition, just not the treatment that doctor wanted.
What makes it worse is that the agent who wrongly removed her was terminated, and DCF didn't start Kenlee on the medication the first doctor recommended until months after her removal. Not so imminent if you ask me."
He still feels the same.
Rockwell noted that he will continue to follow the case closely, citing a possible next hearing in August or September.
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