Christian parents Daniel and Bianca Samson of Sweden are facing any parent’s worst nightmare: their two daughters have been removed from their care by the state despite being found as “fit parents.” The nightmare began in December 2022. The couple’s daughter, Sara, who was just 11 at the time, falsely accused her parents of abuse because they would not let her wear makeup or have a smartphone. She and her sister, Tiana, who was 9 at the time, were removed from their parents’ care. Sara soon retracted the allegations, and the investigators found no evidence of abuse.

Swedish officials, however, refused to return the girls to their parents, labeling the parents as “religious extremists” for not allowing their children to wear makeup and attending church three times a week. The two girls have gone through three separate foster placements since June 2023 and have also been kept from each other. According to the Alliance Defending Freedom International, which is representing the Samsons, both girls have attempted suicide during their time away from their family. The Samsons attended mandatory parenting training in 2024, but the girls remained in state custody even after the parents completed their training. The family also has five other children they are currently caring for.

The family’s legal battle brought them to the Swedish Supreme Court, which refused to hear their case in 2025. They then presented their case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), asking that the girls’ foster care cases be moved to Romania, the family’s home country. The ECtHR, however, said their case was “inadmissible” as the family had not exhausted all its legal options in Sweden. It’s a ruling that cannot be appealed. Meanwhile, the Swedish government continues to limit the girls’ contact with their family and may eventually seek to have the girls adopted. “It is tragic—and unacceptable—that a child who recanted her allegations and yearns to be home remains separated from her family, resulting in extended and severe mental distress. The element of religious discrimination is also unmistakable in this case. The state labeled the family as religious extremists solely because of their active practice of their Christian faith,” said Morales Sancho, legal counsel with ADF International.

Apart from discriminating against the family’s religious beliefs, ADF International also implied officials may have financial motives for keeping the girls in care. “In Sweden, many municipalities use Independent Foster Care Agencies (IFAs)—private providers contracted to offer foster care services. Critics argue that because these contracts are structured like market procurement, there is a risk that profit motives lead to delays in reuniting children with families,” ADF stated. “Some social work professionals have raised concerns about how cost, contracting rules, and the use of private providers may prioritize financial stability over the fastest possible family reunification.” Sancho is asking that Christians around the world pray for the family’s reunification.