Catholic parents in Massachusetts are contesting the loss of custody of their transgender teenager, alleging that state authorities removed their child from their care unlawfully to pursue gender-affirming treatment without their knowledge.
Joseph and Arlene Kutzko told Fox News’ Lighthouse Faith podcast that they have been entirely cut off from their 17-year-old daughter, Sophie. Massachusetts child protective services removed Sophie from their home in 2024, the parents said, after they declined to recognize their biologically female child as a boy.
The Kutzkos alleged that employees at Sophie’s Northborough high school introduced her to “LGBTQ teachings in topics that conflict with our Catholic beliefs” before counseling her about a gender transition.
According to the couple, they did not know those discussions were taking place until the school contacted state child protective services, which then removed Sophie from their custody.
“We didn’t find out until after Sophie was removed. It came on like a tornado,” Joseph Kutzko said.
The family has since received support from the Child and Parental Rights Campaign, a conservative advocacy organization.
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The parents are seeking to prevent Sophie from receiving high-dose testosterone. Vernadette Broyless, an attorney for the Child and Parental Rights Campaign who appeared with the family on the Lighthouse Faith podcast, argued that such treatment is not “ordinary” medical care and requires either parental consent or court authorization.
“We are actively fighting in court to keep them from really poisoning this young lady with testosterone,” Broyless said.
The parents have not been found guilty of child abuse, despite allegations of physical abuse in the home that led to Joseph Kutzko’s arrest. Those allegations were later disproven, according to the Fox podcast.
Still, the Kutzkos are not permitted to communicate with Sophie. Broyless said that restriction is “entirely the choice of this minor child.”
As of now, the parents and their attorney have been able to block the state from giving Sophie testosterone treatments, pending a final hearing, Broyless said.
“The most important thing is to bring her back to our family, but a shorter-term goal is to prevent them from giving her testosterone … We’re begging the state, ‘Please, do not give our daughter testosterone.’”
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