Catholic Massachusetts Family Battling state authorities to get Daughter back After School began to secretly transition her without their knowledge and Removed Her from home

It is a family's worst nightmare. Devout Catholic parents are fighting in court to regain custody of their 17-year-old daughter, Sophie, and stop Massachusetts authorities from medically transitioning her with high-dose testosterone. In December 2024, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) removed the then 15-year-old from her home because her parents, Joseph and Arlene Kutzko, would not recognize their daughter as a boy due to their faith—an identity change they allege staff at Algonquin Regional High School initiated in secret. Although physical abuse claims against Joseph were deemed unfounded, a permanent restraining order was issued against the family, and DCF cut off contact after the Kutzkos would not call Sophie by a male name or pronouns.

Appearing on the Lighthouse Faith podcast alongside attorney Vernadette Broyles, the devastated parents exposed how DCF has housed their daughter in a boys' dormitory, stripped away her Catholic faith by denying her Sunday Mass, and put her on birth control and psychiatric drugs. As the family fights DCF's court attempt to administer testosterone and demands a full psychological evaluation for Sophie, Broyles is pushing Congress to ensure no loving parent's refusal to transition a child is ever branded as "child abuse." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices