The case of Kenlee, a seven-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis, has drawn significant attention due to concerns over parental rights and medical autonomy. In March 2024, Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) removed the then-five-year-old from her mother, Joy Zuraff, following a disagreement over treatment. Joy had been managing Kenlee’s condition effectively with established medications and therapies, maintaining her weight within the normal range and supporting an active, healthy lifestyle. However, when physicians recommended a newer cystic fibrosis medication with a black box warning for potential liver risks, Joy sought additional information and a second opinion rather than proceeding immediately.
This decision prompted DCF intervention. Bodycam footage shows workers arriving at the home, where Joy calmly explained her daughter’s ongoing treatments and offered to document them. Despite no evidence of imminent harm—no oxygen requirement, no hospitalization, and a child described as playful and thriving—Kenlee was taken into state custody that day. Joy has since been required to travel significant distances for supervised visits, while the state pursues permanent termination of her parental rights, with a critical hearing scheduled for February 9, 2026, in Santa Rosa County.
Brian Festa of We the Patriots USA, which has funded legal representation for Joy after she initially proceeded pro se, emphasizes that no records indicate abuse, neglect, or malnourishment. The initial justification centered on alleged refusal of the new drug, though Joy maintains she was researching options, not outright rejecting care. Shifting rationales, such as claims of malnourishment, do not align with prior assessments or the child’s documented health status. A protective order seals much of the court file, limiting public details, but Festa asserts the case lacks evidence of harm warranting removal.
This situation raises broader questions about the threshold for state intervention in parental medical choices. Disagreements between parents and physicians—common in complex conditions—should not automatically equate to neglect. Established cystic fibrosis protocols exist alongside newer options, and informed consent requires time for evaluation, particularly when risks are involved. The prolonged separation, now approaching two years, has caused evident emotional distress to both mother and child, as seen in public statements and footage of Kenlee’s longing for home.
Florida’s leadership has publicly emphasized medical freedom and parental rights, yet this case highlights a disconnect between policy rhetoric and administrative action. Greater transparency and accountability in DCF processes could prevent similar outcomes. Organizations like We the Patriots continue to support affected families through fundraising and legal aid, underscoring the resource challenges parents face against state agencies.
Ultimately, this case serves as a reminder that protecting children must balance legitimate safety concerns with respect for parental authority and medical decision-making. When the state removes a child without clear, compelling evidence of danger, it risks eroding trust in the very systems meant to serve families. Kenlee and Joy deserve a resolution that prioritizes reunification and fairness.
Join supporters on Feb 9th at 8am outside the Santa Rosa County Courthouse in a prayer vigil to show the judges, attorneys and DCF workers than Joy is not alone:
