Article By Steven Ertelt
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Tuesday defended the state’s removal of a Catholic couple’s daughter from their home, defending the Department of Children for takng the daughter away because the couple would not affirm a bogus transgender identity.
Joseph and Arlene Kutzko have spent nearly two years fighting to regain custody of their daughter, Sophie, who was 15 when DCF took her in 2024.
The parents say her school began counseling her about gender identity without their knowledge and that their refusal to call her a boy or use male pronouns contributed to her removal.
Healey told reporters the agency did not take the girl over gender issues.
“Let me be clear about the facts in that matter. First of all, DCF did not remove the child because of a health issue or a gender-affirming care issue. DCF removed the child after there were criminal charges filed against the parents, including the father,” Healey said. “As you know, DCF is responsible for the care and well-being of kids, and that’s what happened in this instance.”
She added: “This is currently a subject of criminal prosecution right now against the parents. So, I’m not going to comment on this particular case right now, but I just want to be clear with the public that this child was not removed because of a gender-affirming care issue. This child was removed by DCF following the presentation of criminal charges against the parents.”
But Healy’s claims may be bogus.
Family attorney Vernadette Broyles said Healey’s account was false and that the charges were deemed unfounded in court last year.
“It’s very dishonest, because there are no standing charges against them. There is no finding that these parents have committed any abuse against this child in the criminal court, nor is there any supported allegations of abuse or neglect against them, even in the juvenile court. So, no, that is, that is pretextual to whatever it is,” Broyles said.
Broyles said an unknown adult hired an attorney for Sophie and helped her seek a restraining order against her parents in Marlborough District Court even though the girl was already in state custody.
“They’re a very well known, very Catholic, devout family. They serve in the community. Sophie was very devoutly Catholic, for that matter. They believe in male and female. Dad is a scientist and has science-based objections to the idea of ever telling a child that you can change sex because that’s impossible, as well as faith-based objections to the idea of a child rejecting how God has made her,” Broyles said.
“And of course, they have medical objections to the idea of the child ever getting cross-sex hormones, which has irreversible and damaging effects on a female’s body.”
Sophie grew up in the faith.
“She led the parish in rosary before mass, and she was so faithful — everybody in the church knew it — that she was given a special dispensation to be confirmed early. So, one year early, she was allowed to make her confirmation,” her parents said.
“The Northborough-Southborough public schools and their counseling practices exposed our daughter to teachings on LGBTQ [ideology] and topics that conflict with our Catholic beliefs about human dignity, creation as male and female in Catholic teaching,” Joseph Kutzko said. “Our daughter had been placed in counseling with sessions at Algonquin Regional High School [with] school counselor … Denise Brienze, without our knowledge or consent. [W]e were told she was simply staying after school for extra math help.”
The parents say that since the state took custody, DCF has attempted to put Sophie on birth control and psychiatric drugs, house her in a boys’ dormitory and deny her Sunday Mass.
A permanent restraining order was issued against the family, and DCF cut off contact when they refused to use male pronouns. They have not been allowed to see her since January 2025.
“I even begged them [to allow me] just to hug her or kiss her. They say they can’t. They will not allow it,” Arlene Kutzko said.
Months before she was taken, Sophie wrote her father a birthday card: “Without you, I would have nothing. So wholeheartedly, fully, sincerely. I love you with no end.”
“The most important thing is to bring her back to our family. But a shorter-term goal is to prevent them from giving her testosterone,” Joseph Kutzko said.
Under Massachusetts law, DCF can administer hormones to a minor in its custody without parental permission.
“We are actively fighting in court to keep them from really poisoning this young lady with testosterone that would have the capacity to cause her to become potentially infertile, would harm her cardiovascular system, and would have a number of irreversible effects and harms to her body,” Broyles said.
“We love her. We love her. We miss her,” Joseph Kutzko said.
The parents’ next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 29.
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