'AGT' Semi-Finalist Kid Magicians Accuse Missouri Judge Of Illegally Locking Them In Jail Cells
Two of 'America's Got Talent' youngest semi-finalists are accusing a Missouri judge of partially stripping them down, and illegally locking them up into jail cells. The incident happened after a custody hearing involving the kids' parents and the matter is now under police investigation.
According to the police report filed with the Forsyth Missouri Police Department, and obtained by The Blast, Kadan & Brooklyn Rockett claim they were held against their will inside of two courthouse holding cells. The kids claim this came after they were lectured by a family law judge over his distaste for them being "Hollywood kids."
In the criminal report, filed by both children and their father Bart Rockett, the incident occurred after the family appeared the courthouse for a hearing regarding custody issues between the kid's parents. The couple filed for divorce in the state of Missouri 10 years ago.
The Rockett's, Kadan & Brooklyn, were stand out performers and semi-finalists in the 2016 season of 'America's Got Talent.' The kids are a brother and sister magic act that still travels and performs their act.
In the police report, the children's dad describes how the incident unfolded...
"On the morning of October 8th, 2019, after traveling overnight, respondent, Bart Rockett, along with his two children, Kadan & Brooklyn Rockett arrived at Taney County Court House in Forsyth, Missouri. All were mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted after being forced to travel to Missouri under the threat of arrest. Judge Eric Eighmy once again stated from the bench, that he did not approve of kids working in the entertainment industry and thought they should grow up "normal," not being "Hollywood kids."
Rockett claims after the custody hearing ended, the judge Eric Eighmy, "somehow found out the minor children were distraught from what had just happened and took it upon himself to make illegal, ex parte contact with both minor children."
In the report, he claims the two minor children (who are now in their early teens) were "forced to listen to the judge lecture them with his opinions as they were held against their will."
According to the documents, "He met with them in a private room and sternly lectured them. No attorneys or parent was present. The oldest minor respectfully asserted that they were residents of the State of California and had a right to continue to pursue their dreams in the entertainment industry."
That's when they allege the judge, "illegally locked both minor children up in separate jail cells against their will."
"The minor children were left in these jail cells alone, barefoot on concrete floors, cold and shaking," he says. "They were both left emotionally distraught and scared of what might happen to them next," he continued.
According to the report, the judge allegedly threatened to leave them locked up until he could transport them to the juvenile detention facility. In the report, Rockett claims, "The youngest minor, Brooklyn spoke up and told (the judge) that she did not see how any of this was legal as she and her brother had done nothing wrong."
They say the judge, "angrily responded by threating to place both of the minor children into the Missouri foster care system."
In the police report, the kid's father says, "as result of the incident Both minor children, whose emotions were already raw from the exhausting schedule they had been forced to endure, were further terrorized by these actions and have since had reoccurring nightmares regarding being locked up and restrained against their will."
At this time, Bart Rockett claims two uniform officers told him he had to leave the courthouse or he would face arrest. The children were released to their mother. We're told the children later met up with their father, shared what happened and the group decided to leave the state of Missouri.
Bart Rockett has also filed a complaint with the Missouri Commission which oversees its judges about the incident. One of the issues in the complaint is that neither party lives in Missouri (their mother lives in Utah). So, he is asking the custody issues be heard where the kids currently live in Los Angeles.
It's unclear why the judge decided to lock up the children, but we're told the family believes he was using a "scared straight" tactic. It's also unclear if this is a normal tactic used by the court in certain custody cases.
The children's father end his complaint with the court, saying, "we are absolutely horrified that a so-called "judge," an elected official who has a sworn duty to protect minors, instead took it upon himself, outside of the court to threaten, intimidate, scare and harass Kadan & Brooklyn Rockett, violating their civil rights."
We've reached out to the court regarding the police investigation, so far no comment.
