It all started with a broken blood vessel in an eye…

When Amanda Denney and Louis Stanford took their baby daughter to the pediatrician for concerns over a broken blood vessel in her eye, the couple was accused of abuse by a child abuse pediatrician even though a full work up did not show any signs of trauma. While medical records show there is clear underlying medical explanation and a possible bleeding disorder, both of Amanda and Louis’s children were removed from their custody by DCS. Even after a second medical opinion was obtained that confirmed no abuse occurred, DCS still persists in claiming the children are dependent on the state and refuse to acknowledge the medical facts of the case. 

Email the Indiana DCS officials listed below. Clicking or tapping the mail link will provide a pre-formatted and addressed email, simply personalize with your name)

Contact List:

• Thel Frost – thel.frost@dcs.in.gov
• Debbie Burke – debbie.burke@dcs.in.gov

Template:

Dear [Name],

I am writing to respectfully request that you dismiss your petition for Clara and Scarlett Stanford to be adjudicated CHINS.

DCS has wrongly separated these children from their parents on false allegations of child abuse. There is overwhelming, compelling medical evidence to show that Clara was suffering underlying medical conditions when her parents took her to the hospital. Based on this medical evidence and the facts of this case, the only right thing to do here is to dismiss the CHINS petition and reunite this family.

In any situation where child abuse is suspected, it’s critical to review all of the evidence available. In this case, the evidence is abundantly clear: these parents are factually innocent, and need to be reunited with their daughters.

I appreciate your time and attention to this cause, and I anticipate your response.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

The Denney/Stanford Family Story

On November 6th, 2025, Amanda Denney noted that her youngest daughter had some blood in the corner of her eye. As a trained ICU nurse, Amanda carefully examined her daughter to see if it was something for concern. When her daughter started to show blood in the other eye the next day, she and her husband, Louis Stanford, decided to take her to the pediatrician. The pediatrician was concerned for a potential bleeding disorder, so Amanda and Louis took their daughter to Lurie Children’s Hospital. This is where the nightmare started.

Lurie performed a full trauma workup since the parents could not explain the blood in the baby’s eyes. The work up included a head CT scan, skeletal survey, ophthalmology exam, physical exam, and lab work. The results showed no intracranial abnormalities, no fractures, no retinal hemorrhages, but did show abnormal lab work to include a low factor IX (related to Vitamin K deficiency), and a small mark near her eyebrow that was labeled a bruise. These results suggested an underlying bleeding condition, and a follow-up with hematology was recommended.

Despite the absence of any traumatic findings, a child abuse pediatrician (CAP) stated that non-accidental trauma (NAT) was not ruled out and stated there was concern for potential abuse. This prompted DCS to step in and both their daughter and her older sister were placed with Amanda‘s parents. Two days later, more lab work was done and vitamin K supplementation was given. On November 12th, their daughter was projectile vomiting, suffering from constipation, and showing bruising. Amanda and Louis sought a second medical opinion and were transferred to Comer Children’s Hospital. At Comer, their daughter was seen for consultation with hematology, hepatology, and another CAP. Those findings showed no retinal hemorrhages, no abdominal abnormalities, vitamin K deficiency-related coagulopathy, and low suspicion for NAT. Repeat labs just a couple of days later suggested that the vitamin K supplementation had resolved the factor IX issue and other lab work results, and even further decreased suspicion for NAT. A CAP at Comer was consulted and told Amanda and Louis that according to medical literature, the combination of subconjunctival hemorrhage and bruising is most often related to NAT. Even that CAP confirmed that the neuroimaging was normal, normal skeletal survey, no retinal injury, and the improvement in coagulation with vitamin K supplementation. Even with those findings, the CAP concluded that the daughter had presented with symptoms most consistent with NAT.

Amanda and Louis have had multiple changes to their visitation schedule. Some of these changes were because DCS changed caseworkers multiple times as well as DCS not sharing the case plan with the parents. The court dates have also been changed due to medical records not being provided to the defense attorney. These records were also necessary to obtain a second medical opinion.

Dr. Phyllis Weiner, a CAP retained by Amanda and Louis to review their daughter’s case, reviewed all medical records and concluded the evidence strongly demonstrated a coagulation disorder with ecchymosis by the eyebrow (NOT a bruise) and that this was very clearly not a case of child abuse.

Despite the clear and convincing medical evidence to explain the subconjunctival hemorrhage and ecchymosis, and the lack of signs and symptoms of NAT, DCS has persisted in keeping Amanda and Louis’s daughters in state custody. We need your help in reuniting this family and getting DCS to recognize their error and close their case.