Lake Shastina, CA – A Lake Shastina mother and her three children, integral members of the Weed community, have turned to Siskiyou County Superior Court for emergency protection after a Washington State judge granted full custody to their abusive ex-husband and father. On Friday, June 13, 2025, Melissa Strawn, alongside her 15-year-old son and twin 8-year-olds—one of whom is autistic—filed emergency domestic violence temporary restraining orders (DVTROs) to block the custody reversal. The petitions are now before Presiding Judge JoAnn Bicego, who previously granted temporary protections for the family in 2022, as they fight to remain safe in their Lake Shastina home of nearly three years.
A Custody Reversal During Hospitalization
Melissa Strawn and her children have been safeguarded by a Washington State Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) since November 29, 2023, after a court confirmed her ex-husband, Jord Sonneveld, used a firearm in a felony against her. Restricted to supervised Zoom visitation, Sonneveld has often missed sessions or appeared under the influence, per supervisor reports. Yet, on June 10, 2025, King County Superior Court Judge Rampersad awarded him full custody during a hearing Melissa missed due to hospitalization for pneumonia, a complication of mononucleosis. Sonneveld falsely claimed Melissa fabricated her illness, and the judge accepted his account, disregarding Melissa’s 64 pages of medical evidence.
“This decision threatens to tear my kids from their home, schools, and community to live with an abuser they haven’t seen in person since 2022,” Melissa told Siskiyou News. “I was fighting for my health in the hospital, and now we’re fighting for our lives. We trust Judge Bicego and Siskiyou County to protect us.”
Strawn’s children are deeply rooted in Weed. The 15-year-old, a Weed High School varsity football and baseball player, serves as Vice President of the Associated Student Body, earns honor roll status, and works locally walking dogs. He filed his own DVTRO petition to resist forced custody changes. The 8-year-old twins, enrolled at Weed Elementary, have earned “Student of the Week” honors. One twin, autistic with separation anxiety, receives daily ABA therapy and plays on the Jr. Giants baseball team. Their extended family in Siskiyou County provides a vital support network.
Escape from Abuse and Ongoing Coercion
In August 2022, Melissa, weighing just 96 pounds post-emergency surgery, fled Washington with her children after Sonneveld assaulted her and stole her pain medication. Initially cooperative, he helped them purchase a Lake Shastina home and enroll in Weed schools, only to accuse Melissa of parental kidnapping and cut off financial support. The 2022 Mill Fire further drained Melissa’s savings. With aid from the Siskiyou Domestic Violence & Crisis Center, she filed a DVTRO in Siskiyou County (case 22-FL-00209, Strawn vs. Sonneveld) in November 2022, staying in their Yreka shelter.
Sonneveld’s Washington divorce filing (case 22-3-05867-0 SEA) escalated demands, and though a Washington court granted Melissa full custody and support in February 2024, Sonneveld stopped payments by June 2024, earning a contempt ruling on September 30, 2024. His refusal to pay the mortgage has pushed Melissa’s solely owned Lake Shastina home into foreclosure, a tactic she calls deliberate destabilization.
The Strawn family’s DVTRO petitions, now before Presiding Judge JoAnn Bicego, seek California’s intervention to maintain the children’s safety and stability. The case underscores concerns about judicial discretion in domestic violence custody disputes, amplified by Washington’s 2025 HB 1620, which critics say weakens survivor protections. The recent deaths of three Washington girls during court-ordered visitation, coupled with Washington’s failure to adopt Kayden’s Law for child safety in custody battles, highlight the urgency.
“Siskiyou County can set a precedent for protecting survivors and children,” Melissa said. “This is about ensuring no family faces what we’re enduring.”
Melissa’s GoFundMe seeks $15,000 for appellate legal fees to challenge Judge Rampersad’s ruling, under review by the Washington Court of Appeals on June 30, 2025. Her Change.org petition urges King County’s Chief Family Court Judge Sean O’Donnell to act. Representing herself for over two years due to financial abuse, Melissa relies on community support to amplify her plea.
As the North State’s leading news source, Siskiyou News is proud to break this story, serving our unmatched Siskiyou County readership. We call on our community to:
- Sign the Petition: Support the Strawn family at Change.org.
- Donate: Contribute to appellate costs at GoFundMe.
- Advocate: Contact Siskiyou County Superior Court (530-842-8347) for case 25-FL-05652
or the Siskiyou Domestic Violence & Crisis Center (530-926-6015).
For domestic violence support, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.
Siskiyou News, with the region’s largest following, will provide ongoing updates on the Strawn family’s fight. Stay tuned.
(photos courtesy of Melissa Strawn)
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4 Comments
I am so glad to see the news talking about this. It’s happening more often than people are aware.
I am here in King County and judge Rampersad was my 2nd trial judge. She is the reason my children have been kidnapped, 74 days no contact, despite my having primary custody and emotional attunement to my children. The safe parents are not being protected by family law. My children are in the hands of a rapist and abuser. I know Melissa’s story all too well. California please protect Melissa and her children. Please make sure the children stay in Cali. It’s what’s best for them. 🧡
Thank you for not being afraid to
Post the truth of the horrible ways of family court. If the general Public saw what was really happening in family court, they’d never believe its happening this way!!! When we beg for protections, most people ask, “isn’t that type of protection already happening?” No. No. It’s not
I hope y’all have good liability insurance, because very little of this is accurate.