Evita Tolu's legal abuse continues
Her lawsuits and advocacy have gained attention, but this is the first time her custody case will be examined on its own.
Evita Tolu’s legal battles with St. Louis County and the Missouri court system at large has received a lot of attention.
Ironically, however, her child custody case, which started everything, has never been examined in-depth beyond as it relates to the lawsuit she filed.
That lawsuit was against guardian ad litem Elaine Pudlowski and therapists James Reid and Jennifer Webbe Van Luven; as such, the behaviors of most of the other players has received cursory examination: until now.
Many will be surprised to learn that Evita is still fighting for custody of her two adult sons.
They are adults in that both are eighteen or over- 18 and 20- and going to college.
Still, on October 13, 2022, there will be another custody trial: though there have been multiple child custody orders already.
Evita told me this trial is being done so that her ex-husband, Robert Stientjes, can shift even more of the responsibility for paying for their son’s college education to her from him.
I called Stientjes on his cell, but he did not respond to a voicemail for comment.
The route this latest modification of custody has taken is circuitous.
Stientjes first filed this motion in 2020, but he failed to serve Evita properly.
Though she has lived long term at the same home, Stientjes attempted to serve her through “publication” or making an announcement in a legal journal.
This is an option only in cases where the party being served cannot be located.
Evita challenged the service as soon as she found out about it.
As a result, Evita was not properly served with this 2020 motion until early 2022.
But he did not update his motion.
No matter, the judge, Patrick Flynn, has still ordered a trial for October 13, 2022.
Flynn is one of many Missouri judges with a penchant for controversy.
In May 2019, Judge Flynn stripped the elected Lincoln County Circuit Court Clerk Karla Allsberry of much of her power.
Several judges, including the Missouri Supreme Court, found he did this without authority or a proper reason.
“None of the above allegations, individually or collectively, nor any others were supported by proof to establish that Karla Allsberry committed a misdemeanor in office,” then-Judge Richard Callahan wrote of Flynn’s opinion.
This all sets up for a stew of corruption for a man, Robert Stientjes, who has been using the legal system to perpetrate continued legal and psychological abuse on his ex-wife, according to Evita’s response to his 2020 motion. She was the victim of physical abuse during the marriage, she argued.
Evita’s continued that in the divorce he has proactively attempted to sever the relationship between Evita and her two sons- both through coercion and bribery- while then claiming that because he now spends more time with them, he should get more child support. Here’s part of his 2020 motion.
It is in the best interest of {their younger son} that Respondent {Stientjes} be granted sole and physical custody over the minor child. It is in the best interest of both children that Petitioner {Evita} be ordered to pay Form 14 child support to Respondent to help financially support the children, as well as for Petitioner to be ordered to contribute towards the college education costs of the children.
If Respondent is granted sole legal custody of [the younger son} by this Court, he should be granted possession of the child’s 529 UTMA, and demand savings account, as well as all of the pertinent personal papers of the minor child.
Evita has had no contact with one son since 2017 and the other 2020.
In March 2017, after the parties’ divorce, Respondent willfully and secretly relocated Alex from Olivette, Saint Louis County, Missouri, to Defiance, Saint Charles County, Missouri, in violation of the Parenting Plan and without providing Mother and the Court with the statutory required notice of relocation. Respondent never had the best interests of {their two sons}.
Respondent cut off Mother’s access to {their older son} and threatened Mother that if she sought any type of relationship with {their older son}, Respondent would embroil Mother in endless litigation and would make sure Mother never saw {their older son} again. Despite Respondent’s threats, Mother always supported Respondent’s relationship with their sons and never interfered with Respondent’s relationship with {their older son} and {their younger son}.
Mother’s countless attempts begging Respondent to comply with the 2016 Parenting Plan providing for joint legal and physical custody of {their older son} were futile. Respondent never had the best interests of {their two sons}.
Evita continued in the response.
{Their younger son} told Mother that he loved her very much and that he knew that Mother had no money because of the never-ending custody court proceedings fueled by his Father. {Their younger son} told Mother that he knew that Mother could not buy him a new car because Mother was driving a ten-year-old rusted “hooptie” and could not afford a better car herself. {their younger son} told Mother that his Father promised him a new car if he were to leave Mother.
Mother told {their younger son} that unlike his Father, Mother could not buy {their younger son} everything {their younger son} wanted and that she wanted {their younger son} to appreciate what he had and to work for what he did not have. It has been Mother’s belief that buying everything a child wants, breeds a sense of entitlement, and teaches him that he does not need to work for the things he wants. Mother encouraged {their younger son} to work, save money for a used car and offered to help {their younger son} financially to purchase a used car. {Their younger son} wanted a car like {their older son} had, a brand-new Honda Civic, which Respondent purchased {their older son}.
…
On March 27, 2020 {their younger son} texted Mother that he had moved out of Mother’s home to reside with his Father who allowed {their younger son} to breed rats in his Father’s house in Defiance, Saint Charles County, Missouri.
Several days later, {their younger son} called Mother bragging about his own car, he got from his father in exchange for {their younger son} leaving his mother and living with his Father. Mother was heartbroken asking {their younger son} to come home. {their younger son} said, “Mom, I am sorry. Everyone in school has a car. You can’t get me one right away, but dad did. Mom, I still love you.”
Respondent used financial inducement of a new car and rat breeding to interfere with Mother’s custody of {their younger son}.
This upcoming hearing has another interesting and revealing detail.
For years, Stientjes has been represented by Cordell and Cordell, a well-known international men’s rights law firm.
His representation for a while has been Kristin Zurek; I sent an email to her, but she did not respond.
She still represents him, but in August 2022, a notorious lawyer also entered his appearance; his name is William Halaz.
Halaz represents the notorious convicted child molester, Chuck Haynes in his custody case.
Here’s more on that case, but sadly, even a conviction for child molestation has not terminated Haynes’ parental rights.
In fact, Evita represents Haynes ex-wife, Cindy Randolph, in that case; Evita told me Halaz’s representation of her ex-husband is not considered a conflict.
Halaz also represents Melchior Van Den Bergh, in another notorious child custody case: the Van Den Bergh case.
Although Less and Melchior Van Den Bergh's divorce was finalized in 2016, the proceedings concern the custody and care of their daughter. Less has reportedly been ordered to pay some $39,250 in legal fees to Hamilton, former legal counsel Patricia Susi, and the Hais Group, which joined the Cordell & Cordell law firm on Aug. 1.
"They did not notice her of the hearing and they did not send her the order after the hearing nor the previous one even though they knew she was Pro Se," Maguire alleges.
Van Den Bergh is represented by Cordell & Cordell's William Halaz III, the same attorney who represents Charles Haynes, a father who is currently incarcerated and convicted of child abuse. As previously reported in the St. Louis Record, Haynes’ daughter, Mikaela, committed suicide at 14 years old.
“It’s very concerning,” Maguire told the St. Louis Record. “It looks like [Halaz] specializes in protecting child abusers.”
I reached out to Halaz by email, but he was out of the office and did not respond.
Post-Script
Here are the previous articles in this series on Missouri: Part one, Part two, Part three, Part four, Part five, and Part six
Find the Missouri fundraiser to support more stories like this.
Thank you Michael for giving the much needed coverage on the legal abuse syndrome that is perpetrated by professionals involved in divorces and custody disputes. Litigants should be aware and should understand that once they find themselves in family courts, the legal system will not release them until they are shirtless, homeless, and emotionally destroyed.
I don’t think we are well- liked in Spokane Washington Courts anymore. They definitely see us coming and know us by name.