In a revealing and technically challenging interview aired on October 14, 2025, by BrokenTruth.TV, Norwegian parents Monica Drexel and Petter Gunnerud shared their harrowing ordeal following the abduction of their daughters, Iris (age 4 at the time) and Saga (age 8), by Norway’s child welfare agency, Barnevernet, on March 5, 2024. Hosted by John Davidson and co-hosted by investigative journalist Christine Dolan, the discussion exposed allegations of systemic overreach, lack of due process, and what the parents describe as state-sponsored human trafficking. The family, legally homeschooling their children, has had minimal contact with their daughters since—none for a full year, followed by supervised visits of just two hours every second month.
The interview, hampered by international connection glitches, nonetheless painted a stark picture of a family torn apart. According to Gunnerud, the incident began during a family holiday in northern Norway when a neighbor spotted the children playing in the snow during school hours and reported it to authorities. Barnevernet, often criticized for emergency removals without thorough investigations, acted swiftly, citing the parents’ failure to send the children to public school despite their approved homeschooling status.
”We were homeschooling and everything was supposed to be okay,” Gunnerud explained. “But these different departments... don’t talk with each other.” Homeschooling is legal in Norway but rare, with only about 300 families registered nationwide. The parents’ setup was inspected by teachers, yet internal miscommunication led to the raid.
The Potential for Imminent Risk to Saga and Iris
Barnevernet has a history of failing in it’s duty to protect children. The latest case involves Shada, a girl who died under the ‘care’ of Barnevernet.
(Note for videos below, enable Closed captioning and auto-translate for english titles).
Shada, a 16-year-old Palestinian-Norwegian girl, was removed from her loving family home in Flora, Norway, in 2012 at age 12, along with her siblings, by the child welfare system (barnevernet). The official reason cited domestic violence by her father, but Dr. Rodgeir Vinsrygg, a seasoned physician and human rights advocate, asserts there is no credible evidence supporting this claim. Audio recordings reveal coercive tactics by welfare workers pressuring young Shada to falsely admit abuse, after which the siblings were forcibly separated and placed in various foster homes and institutions. Shada repeatedly attempted to escape to return home, eventually ending up isolated in a 24/7 staffed facility in Hundvåg operated by Stendi AS, where she endured severe trauma.
Shada died in August 2019 at the facility, with authorities swiftly ruling it a suicide—a determination Vinsrygg deems implausible based on reviewed documentation. He exposes evidence of repeated rape by staff, coerced sexual acts with strangers indicative of organized trafficking, and a falsified death certificate riddled with medical and formatting inconsistencies, rejected by Palestinian authorities when her parents sought to repatriate her body. Vinsrygg’s investigation, prompted by activists and lawyers, uncovers systemic cover-ups involving child welfare, police, health services, and higher authorities, framing Shada’s case as emblematic of institutional abuse, negligence, and erosion of legal protections in Norway’s child welfare system, ultimately returning her “badly injured” to her devastated parents in a coffin.
More atrocities under Barnevernet
Here is a compiled list of specific allegations from various sources regarding cases where children were reportedly harmed by Barnevernet (Norway’s Child Welfare Services), often through removal from families, placement in foster care, or related interventions. These are based on reported claims and should be viewed as allegations; official responses from Barnevernet typically emphasize that actions are taken to protect children from harm at home, with decisions subject to court oversight. I’ve focused on cases with details of alleged harm (e.g., emotional trauma, physical/sexual abuse in care, or health deterioration). Each entry includes a brief description and the full hyperlink to the source.
* Bodnariu family case (2015): Five children (including a 3-month-old baby) were removed from Pentecostal parents Ruth and Marius Bodnariu due to suspicions of corporal punishment (spanking). The children were split among three foster homes, causing emotional distress from separation; parents faced restricted supervised visits and allegations of religious/national discrimination. The baby was returned after over four months, but the others remained in care pending court. Full hyperlink: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36026458
* Erik and Chinese wife’s case (undated, several years prior to 2016): A 4-month-old daughter was removed from Norwegian father Erik and his Chinese wife based on “lack of parenting skills” and cultural practices (e.g., care by grandmother), without clinical examination of the baby. Alleged harm included emotional deprivation from separation and potential cultural bias, as children of foreign mothers are reportedly four times more likely to be taken. The child remained in care, with court upholding the order. Full hyperlink: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36026458
* Sagarika Chakraborty case (2011): Two children (a 2-year-old boy and 5-month-old girl) were removed from Indian parents due to cultural practices (e.g., hand-feeding, co-sleeping) and claims of maternal mental unfitness. In foster care, the son developed autism signs, stopped eating/speaking, and cried daily; the daughter became ill and refused milk. Children were placed with multiple families in under a year. After diplomatic intervention, they were sent to India in 2012, with mother regaining custody in 2013. Full hyperlink: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/-totally-wrong-indian-mother-rebukes-norway-for-doubting-child-custody-ordeal/2912174
* Unnamed Indian woman’s case (around 2011-2012): Seven newborns were repeatedly removed from an Indian mother married to a Norwegian man, each time at birth, due to claims of maternal mental unsoundness. Alleged harm included trauma from immediate separation, with no details on foster outcomes provided. The children remained in care. Full hyperlink: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/-totally-wrong-indian-mother-rebukes-norway-for-doubting-child-custody-ordeal/2912174
* Leen case (2015): 13-year-old Palestinian girl Leen was removed from school over a false abuse allegation from a peer. In foster care and institutions, she became depressed, self-harmed, and was given anti-psychotic drugs causing physical illness. After a year, she fled to Poland with her mother. Full hyperlink: https://www.barnefjern.org/norways-hidden-scandal/
* Airida Pettersen case (2012 or earlier): Two children (including a 10-year-old daughter) were removed from Lithuanian immigrant mother Airida Pettersen over unclear reasons, possibly cultural differences in clothing/hygiene. Harm alleged as emotional trauma from separation and foster placement. A relative helped reunite them in Lithuania. Full hyperlink: https://apnews.com/general-news-c9b7a8e3cf9845df87161c5a2f8e763d
* Gabrielius Bumbulus case (undated): 7-year-old Lithuanian boy was placed in foster care over unspecified abuse/neglect concerns. Harm from separation; an uncle’s escape attempt failed, and the child was returned to foster care. Full hyperlink: https://apnews.com/general-news-c9b7a8e3cf9845df87161c5a2f8e763d
* Sedef Mustafaoglu’s children case (2011 onward): Two youngest children (ages 6 and 8) faced threatened removal over misinterpreted health issues (epileptic fits seen as neglect). Family fled to Turkey to avoid separation, alleging emotional harm from scrutiny. No removal occurred. Full hyperlink: https://apnews.com/general-news-c9b7a8e3cf9845df87161c5a2f8e763d
* Unnamed Norwegian mother’s case (2016): Two children were removed after the mother sought help for one; both placed in foster care. The older child (age 6) was sexually assaulted in foster placement. Mother was fined $47,000 and imprisoned for 10 months after reporting it. Children not returned. Full hyperlink: https://www.humanium.org/en/unraveling-norways-barnevernet-examining-childrens-best-interests/
* Shatha Al-Barghouti case (undated, death in 2019): Palestinian girl Shatha and her brothers were removed over parental treatment concerns, with limited supervised visits (every 6 months, no native language allowed). Harm to mental health from isolation; one sibling attempted escape. Shatha died by alleged suicide at 17, just before possible return. Full hyperlink: https://www.humanium.org/en/unraveling-norways-barnevernet-examining-childrens-best-interests/
* Inez and Knut Arnesen case (2013): Four children, including Vendela (12) and Christian (11), were removed over acquitted physical force allegations, influenced by a convicted psychiatrist’s input. Prolonged 5-year separation caused family readjustment challenges. Reunited after court ruling. Full hyperlink: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45637040
* Summary of Alleged Cases in Dalane Child Welfare Services (Barnevernet)These summaries are based on the content of the provided YouTube videos, which present allegations from critics of Norway’s child welfare system. The videos are produced by Rune Fardal and focus on claimed systemic failures, negligence, and harms under Dalane CPS (Child Protective Services), particularly involving leader Tove Ørsland. Note that these are one-sided accounts and allegations; official perspectives from Barnevernet would likely emphasize protective intent and legal processes. I’ve structured each as a concise overview of key events, alleged harms, and outcomes.
* Case of Hanne (Placed in Institution, 2015): Hanne was removed from her family in spring 2015 and placed in the Vestlundveien institution in Bergen, later closed by authorities for irresponsibility. Her mother reported drug use starting just days after placement, but Ørsland allegedly dismissed these as lies. Warnings escalated, including court challenges in June 2015, but Hanne remained there. By August 2015, she overdosed on heroin and was hospitalized near death. Allegedly, under CPS care, she became a drug addict, prostitute, and criminal. In 2017, she fell from a seventh-floor window in Bergen, leading to her death, with claims she “ended up as Shada” (possibly a related incident or cover-up) to hide violent abuse. Broader allegations include lies by CPS, legal system reliance on false claims, and lack of accountability for multiple child deaths under Ørsland. Full hyperlink:
* Case of Unnamed Child (Placed in Institution, Recent Death by Overdose):
This video reports the death of an unnamed girl from Egersund on September 22, 2025 (the day before the video’s upload), due to a drug overdose while placed in an institution north of Bergen by Dalane CPS. Her identity is withheld but known to the presenter. It ties into a pattern of tragedies, with Ørsland held responsible. Additionally, it discusses another recent case: In March 2025, an unnamed child was urgently removed from his grandmother (deemed capable) and placed with foster mother Silje Jensen, where issues like drugs and potential hazards (e.g., “fires”) emerged. CPS instructed Jensen to stop social media posts about the case. The video poses the question “How many children must die?” repeatedly, alleging ongoing trauma, deaths, and failures to protect children, calling for Ørsland’s removal and political accountability in Egersund, Lund, and Sokndal. Full hyperlink:
* Case of Sigbjørn (15 y.o., Suicide on Railroad Tracks): At age 10, Sigbjørn was removed from his Sokndal family (one of five siblings) despite only needing family relief support, which CPS denied. A psychologist diagnosed attachment disorders based on superficial observations, leading to foster placement costing 1 million NOK yearly per child. In foster care, he felt imprisoned, developed an eating disorder at 14, faced punishments like training bans, and was gaslighted by caseworkers to turn against his parents. Visits were limited and supervised, with positive family mentions dismissed. He self-harmed (cutting), ran away multiple times, and once threatened suicide with a rope, but this was hidden from his family. A brief probationary return home at 15 failed due to prior damage, and he was reinstitutionalized. Isolated and despairing, he died by suicide at 15, standing in front of a train in formal clothes; his note expressed loneliness and lack of help. Allegations include terrorization, no reunification efforts (violating ECHR), sadistic control, and systemic prioritization of jobs over child welfare. Conditions in Dalane CPS are claimed unchanged, with calls for Ørsland’s ouster. Full hyperlink:
A Decade of Harassment
Drexel and Gunnerud detailed a decade-long history of scrutiny from Barnevernet, starting from the birth of their first child in 2015. What began with concerns over a home birth—where an ambulance was called for comfort, but the driver allegedly resented the request—escalated into repeated investigations for minor issues like a “messy house,” despite no evidence of abuse or criminal history.
Drexel, midway through medical school, was forced to abandon her studies due to relentless unannounced visits—up to three times a day, intruding into bedrooms and bathrooms. “They just keep on going until you break down,” she said. “You cannot continue work; you cannot continue your education.” Investigations recycled old claims, amassing thousands of pages of unsubstantiated reports to overwhelm courts.
See the Iris and Saga’s abduction video here:
The parents allege financial motivations, with foster families receiving $6,000–$7,000 per month per child on average, and up to $3,000 per day for high-needs cases. “It’s basically a human trafficking service,” Gunnerud asserted, estimating the system siphons taxpayer funds while employing hundreds of thousands. Their daughters are held in undisclosed foster homes, possibly drugged, and visits are policed with threats—e.g., asking about a foster dog’s breed halted a meeting, with police on standby.
Access to medical records is denied; Drexel sees no trace of her daughters in Norway’s digital health system. Court documents reveal frequent shuttling to doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. The youngest, Iris, appears unrecognizable, with Drexel describing reunions as “theater” where emotions are suppressed.
Echoes of International Criticism
This case mirrors broader criticisms of Barnevernet, condemned by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in over a dozen cases since 2015 for violating Article 8 (right to family life). High-profile incidents, like the Bodnariu family (Romanian Pentecostal) and the Indian case dramatized in Netflix’s Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway, highlight targeting of non-conforming families.
Gunnerud linked escalation to a 2007 “Christopher case,” where a child’s death fueled media paranoia, spiking removals to nearly 2,000 annually by 2018. Official stats stopped in 2018; estimates suggest 10,000–50,000 children in care. The parents accuse the system of state indoctrination, prioritizing conformity over independence—homeschoolers threaten this by fostering critical thinking.
Journalistic coverage is stifled. Gunnerud recounted threats against reporter Katrina Haugen, who vanished after probing Barnevernet, allegedly targeted via her sister’s children. Davidson referenced Kenneth Skylands’ lawsuit over coerced abuse claims.
Court Battle Looms
A pivotal seven-day hearing starts October 20, 2025, in Arendal Tingrett. Demands for public access, recordings, and child representation are denied, with appeals to the Supreme Court pending. “They refuse because it makes it hard to lie,” Gunnerud said. State-paid lawyers fear reprisals; one whispered threats to her own family for citing laws.The parents invoke the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and ECtHR precedents, but Norway ignores rulings. “The government does not abide by any law,” Gunnerud claimed. Norwegian families rarely regain children; international cases succeed due to global outcry.
Dolan and Davidson called it “predatory,” urging an investigation into budgets and employee numbers. “This harms children in their formative years,” she said.
Call to Action
As ECtHR condemns persist, Drexel and Gunnerud fight underscores reform needs. “We are challenging every point of this system,” Gunnerud said. Watch the interview on BrokenTruth.TV and share to amplify their voice. Contact Norwegian media or international watchdogs—pressure can return these girls home.Support the family: [Donation link or petition if available]. Follow updates on BrokenTruth.TV.
Related Reading:
* ECtHR Rulings on Barnevernet
* *Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway* on Netflix
* BrokenTruth.TV Archives on Norwegian CPS
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