A Stoddard County family says they are being targeted by local officials after publicly criticizing law enforcement and child welfare authorities, raising questions about accountability and due process in Missouri’s 35th Judicial Circuit.
The case began in April 2024, when the family’s children were removed following concerns tied to a medical episode involving their daughter, who suffers from seizures. However, according to the family, the removal did not occur at their home.
They state that their two oldest children were questioned and taken from school early that morning without prior notice to the parents. The family says they were not informed of any report, allegation, or investigation at the time.
Later that afternoon, instead of their children returning home from school as expected, the family says multiple officials arrived at their residence. They identified those present as representatives from the Missouri Children’s Division, along with Detective Atkinson, Officer McElreath, and Advance Police Chief Donald Bohnsack.
According to the family, this was their first indication that any action had been taken involving their children.
The family states the situation originated from a medical episode involving their daughter, who has a documented seizure condition. MoFreePress reviewed a care plan from the child’s neurologist outlining how caregivers should respond during a seizure, including positioning the child on her side and administering back pats if choking is a concern.
Christopher Clark maintains that he followed those instructions during the incident in question, stating that his daughter had a brownie in her mouth and was at risk of choking while experiencing a seizure.
The allegations against Clark stem in part from a mark described as a handprint on the child’s back. According to Clark, the mark resulted from the back pats administered in an effort to clear her airway.
Months later, the Children’s Division ended its involvement and returned the children home without further court proceedings. The agency also terminated its jurisdiction, effectively closing the case without a formal finding of wrongdoing against the parents.
Despite that outcome, legal troubles for the family did not end.
Clark continues to face pending abuse-related charges connected to the original investigation.
According to the family, Clark was employed at the time as a corrections officer at Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston and was terminated from that position following his detention.
Meanwhile, the mother has been cited in a separate municipal case involving allegations about their dogs, which she denies.
She states that the citation was issued three days after she initiated a POST citizen complaint on July 23, 2025, and believes the timing raises concerns about possible retaliation.
The family also alleges that Clark’s arrest occurred approximately 11 days after the filing of that complaint against Detective Atkinson, whose probable cause statement they dispute.
They further allege that the arrest came shortly after a seizure episode involving their daughter at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Cape Girardeau. The family claims the incident was captured on store security footage, which they say has been reviewed by their current legal counsel.
The mother, Mrs. Clark, further alleges that evidence favorable to the family was not properly considered during the investigation, and that key medical context related to the child’s seizure condition was overlooked.
Mrs. Clark also alleges procedural irregularities in how the municipal dog-related case was handled. She claims that animal control was never contacted in connection with the alleged incident, which she believes is required in such cases. In at least one recorded interaction reviewed by MoFreePress, an officer appears to acknowledge that animal control had not been involved.
Court records available on Missouri’s Case.net system indicate that the municipal case has shown no new activity or scheduled court dates since January 2026.
Mrs. Clark alleges that these legal actions are part of a broader pattern of retaliation tied to her outspoken criticism of local authorities, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and court officials. She claims that complaints and reports against her have been based on hearsay and initiated by individuals she does not know.
MoFreePress contacted the Stoddard County Jail regarding a recorded phone call in which Jail Administrator Dan Sager appears to acknowledge that Clark was being held unlawfully, while attributing the situation to Clark’s attorney.
When reached for comment, Sager disputed that characterization. He stated that all individuals housed at the facility are detained lawfully and under valid court orders signed by a judge.
Sager also claimed that Clark had repeatedly dismissed his attorneys when dissatisfied with how his case was proceeding.
However, records reviewed by MoFreePress do not indicate that Clark has formally terminated any attorneys during the course of his case.
Sager also advised MoFreePress to “be very careful” in its reporting and suggested filing formal records requests for documentation, adding that he would pursue legal action if inaccurate information was published.
MoFreePress perceived the warning as an attempt to discourage publication of the story.
Mrs. Clark also alleges irregularities in how her complaints and legal filings have been handled, including difficulties submitting motions and obtaining legal representation.
Court records confirm that multiple attorneys have been involved in the family’s cases over the past two years, and that at least one municipal citation against the mother remains pending as of early 2026.
The family also reports that attempts to seek protective orders and challenge allegations in court have yielded inconsistent results, adding to their concerns about fairness within the local judicial system.
Officials in Stoddard County have not publicly responded to the family’s broader allegations. Without formal findings of misconduct by a court or oversight agency, the claims remain unproven.
Legal experts note that situations where child welfare cases close without findings, yet related criminal charges persist, can occur but often raise complex legal and procedural questions.
For now, the family says they will continue fighting the charges while speaking out about their experience, one they believe reflects a larger issue of accountability within local government.
Mrs. Clark claims that she has documented everything, including phone calls, since this began and has already gone public with the information on her TikTok, @rachaelclark013.