A Florida mom whose refusal to permit her son to be circumcised led her to go into hiding for nearly 3 months was arrested for contempt of court yesterday. Heather Hironimus has been battling with Dennis Nebus, the father of her 4-year-old son Chase, because Nebus wants Chase circumcised and she does not. Hironimus initially agreed the procedure could be done but later
changed her mind, arguing it was not medically necessary. After a long legal battle, a judge in February ordered Hironimus to bring Chase to court and turn him over to his father to have the procedure done, but Hironimus didn't show up; her attorney said she had "sought refuge" Feb. 23 at a domestic violence shelter. In March, the same judge issued a warrant for her arrest. Broward County authorities took her into custody yesterday; she's now at the Broward County jail, the
Palm Beach Post reports.
Chase's location is not clear; the boy hasn't seen his father since Feb. 19,
Local 10 reports. In March, Hironimus' lawyer asked the judge to consider giving Chase a mental health exam before moving forward, claiming the boy "is scared to death of the procedure and doesn't want it," the
Sun Sentinel reported at the time. The judge refused and ordered Hironimus' arrest; he also specifically took issue with the fact that she had partnered with
anti-circumcision "activists" that "plastered" Chase's name and picture "all over the Internet." While she was in hiding, Hironimus filed a federal lawsuit through her lawyer claiming circumcision would violate Chase's constitutional rights, the
Sun Sentinel reported last month.
