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Father Who Gave Kids Nazi Names Decries Their Removal

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The Associated Press

Published: January 31, 2009

NEWARK, N.J. - The father of three children who have names associated with Nazis is accusing the state Division of Youth and Family Services of taking his children under false pretenses and says one of the kids appeared neglected when he saw them last week.

Heath Campbell told The Associated Press today that he and his wife, Deborah, have been allowed to see their children once since state child welfare workers removed them from the family's home on Jan. 9.

Campbell said his 2-year-old daughter, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell, appeared sick and had a runny nose and dirty diaper when he and his wife visited the children last week under the supervision of state social workers.

DYFS has not said why JoyceLynn and siblings Adolf Hitler Campbell, 3, and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, who will be 1 in April, were removed. Kate Bernyk, a DYFS spokeswoman, said Saturday that confidentiality laws prevent the agency from commenting on specific cases.

Campbell said the agency told him the children were taken because they were in "imminent danger," but he believed the removal was spurred by publicity surrounding the children's names.

"In three years, they've never been involved with us," he said, referring to DYFS. "They said it's not about the newspaper articles, but they took them because of their names. I don't care what anybody says."

The family made headlines in December when a ShopRite supermarket in Greenwich, near the family's home in Holland Township, refused to decorate a birthday cake with their son's name.

A Wal-Mart in Pennsylvania wound up decorating the cake, but the resulting publicity put the family under media scrutiny. Heath Campbell said he and his wife are staying with relatives because neighbors and others are harassing them.

Police in Holland Township are investigating a mailed death threat that was received by a woman whose last name is Campbell but is not related the couple.

A hearing in Hunterdon County family court was postponed earlier this month because the Campbells were unable to retain a lawyer. Heath Campbell said today they still have not done so.

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