Adolf Hitler Campbell Mystery: Why Did Authorities Take Him And His Sisters

UPDATE 1/22 1:10 AM

Adolf Hitler Campbell's mom claimed that she lost custody because she was wrongfully accused of abuse, reports the NY Daily News:

A New Jersey mom who gave her three children Nazi-friendly names says she lost custody of the kids because a neighbor wrongly accused her and her husband of abuse...

"My husband and I would never abuse our children," she told the paper for Wednesday's edition. "I just want my children back."

It has been a few days since little Adolf Hitler Campbell and his sisters were taken from their parents by New Jersey's Division of Youth and Family Services. The mystery remains over why they were taken. Fox News reports on the possibility that their infamous names are to blame:

A state official was adamant Friday that a child would never be removed from his parents based solely on his name. But a First Amendment expert said that the boy's name might have had something to do with it...

Although privacy laws prevent authorities from discussing specifics of the case, DYFS spokeswoman Kate Bernyk reiterated Friday that the agency "would never remove a child simply based on that child's name."

But a name like Adolf Hitler could have contributed to their removal, said Rod Smolla, dean of the Washington and Lee Law School.

New York Examiner writer Laura Harrison McBride comments on the "Ethics of Naming Children."

Despite my extreme distaste for what the Campells have done, I cannot see a reasonable way around it, without subjecting society to ills beyond that of having the odd (using the term advisedly) child with a very unfortunate name. I wonder, though, if the Campbells need to read some history. They named the second child Joyce Lynn Aryan Nation Campbell and the third Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell. One can't help wondering if they meant Himmler...or perhaps the media has consistently messed it up. Either way, they might want to rename her something that is unequivocally like her sibling's names, perhaps Honszlynn Eva Braun Campbell or Honszlynn Herman Goering Campbell, or even Honszlynn Joachim von Ribbentrop Campbell. I like that one best; it's so regal.

Comments

[Iowamom5]

09:16 AM on 01/28/2009

If DH does not protect these kids from getting the future crap beat out of them ----who will???

See-- people will wonder why they didn't step in years from now when they get daily smacks
from other kids---come on--we know how crappy kids can get.

We really don't want to time warp to see in 14 years the kid lives up to that name and goes
a shootin for all the crap he took, simply cause his skuzball dad thought the name was great.

dad is a coward--should of changed his own name instead of setting his kids up to be punching bagss.

[mydogshakespeare]

04:53 PM on 01/22/2009

You know, Ms. Campbell, it would have been a lot funnier if you had named your kids "Chicken", "Noodle", and "Soup".

[HighHorse]

04:48 PM on 01/22/2009

This Is AMERICA not some jungle republic. Feelings set aside, the Campbells are Owed, by
The Constitution Of The United States, their day in court.
The use of the child care agency and the police to intimidate these parents happened during
the reign of King George. It should never happen again.
ACLU - get going...
DUE PROCESS DUE PROCESS DUE PROCESS DUE PROCESS DUE PROCESS

[FabulousAt52]

08:28 AM on 01/23/2009

This is AMERICA... children (and women/wives) are NOT PROPERTY to be used and abused as
men or parents see fit.

This is AMERICA, we like to try to protect our children and our citizens; young, old, male or female.
EVERYONE has rights in America (or at least we hope). Parents give birth to kids, but they do not OWN them body and soul. Sorry. Children are in need of protection because they ARE children and cannot protect themselves.

[jl4141]

04:39 PM on 01/22/2009

My parents called me A Cab, and people have been riding me ever since!

[jl4141]

04:38 PM on 01/22/2009

I'm still mad at my parents because they called me Late For Dinner.

[NJmikeV]

04:34 PM on 01/22/2009

HuffPo: It's not a mystery, it's a private family court matter.

Perhaps following these children around with cameras and microphones and TV trucks is child abuse.
At some point, maybe we've already passed it, the gawking press and public become as repulsive as these children's swastika sporting father.

[whatfreshhellisthis]

04:29 PM on 01/22/2009

My parents gave me a first name and a middle name, but they always called me by my first name only. UNLESS I was in trouble for some reason. When my parents called me by my entire name-- first, last, and middle-- I knew I was in hot water. I suspect the same is true for many people; if your parents addressed you by all three names, you knew it was going to be bad. These parents have gone out of their way to call attention to their kids' names. Who orders a birthday cake for a toddler with the whole name on it? IMO, when they ordered a cake that had "Adolf Hitler Campbell" on the top, they were deliberately seeking attention. The Campbells are using their children's names to make a political statement. I don't know if that meets the NJ definition of child abuse, but their kids are going to have a hard time no matter how this turns out.

[NJmikeV]

04:25 PM on 01/22/2009

"......privacy laws prevent authorities from discussing specifics of the case..."
Over seven hundred comments without anyone knowing specifics. Let's not jump to conclusions here folks.

".....says she lost custody of the kids because a neighbor wrongly accused her and her husband of abuse..."
This is not the first time the accused claimed to be "wrongly accused." Nor will it be the last.

To those that say that the parents have a right to name their kids anything they want: If little Adolf is in your child's class, will you be inviting him to your child's birthday party ? After all, it's just a name.

[SabrinaFair]

04:05 PM on 01/22/2009

The state should put the parents through hoops to get these kids back -- parenting classes, classes in tolerance.

But quite frankly, the kids would be better off being raised by someone else.

[RoloTomassi]

04:23 PM on 01/22/2009

And I'm sure that this very limited content article gives you all the information you need to make such a sweeping judgment; I suppose I should be happy that you're not actually responsible for making such decisions....

[timregler]

03:31 PM on 01/22/2009

While I agree a child should not be removed from their homes, simply because they were given a repugnant name, the fact that they named their kid Adolph Hitler just might send up a red flag dotcha think. As my budding young 12 year old philosopher might say. "No Duh!"

[acslaterson]

02:32 PM on 01/22/2009

Huff Po,

Please stop putting stories about these people up, it makes me think of the National Enquirer.

[spiderbucket]

02:30 PM on 01/22/2009

Fox News fans for sure.

[TattereD 1]

02:29 PM on 01/22/2009

This type of thing happens all the time unfortunately.

http://fightcps.com/

[StillAmused]

02:18 PM on 01/22/2009

This poor little boy has a really bright future.

Nice work, Mom and Dad.

[Gould123]

02:10 PM on 01/22/2009

A baby was resently named Barack Hussien ! Hussien for pete sake! The child can go by adolf H. with out reveiling the middle name an go by Jr. or eddy or what ever for Short!

[bobbyperu]

02:23 PM on 01/22/2009

Pray tell me what is wrong with the name Hussien? It seems that only xenophobic A-holes have a problem with that name.

[alsm9]

02:31 PM on 01/22/2009

I'm puzzled why you have a problem with Hussien?? I understand it's a very common Muslim name....like "Smith" in the English speaking west. So can no one have the name Castro in your "world" either? Even though it's a common Hispanic name? The name Hitler is one of the few that really shouldn't be used. It only seems to be within the States that people associate the name Hussien with Sadam, the rest of us don't really.

[mabinog]

02:57 PM on 01/22/2009

Well silly anyone who is named Hussein is obviously a terrorist. (snark)