Photo: Pixabay - Alexas_Fotos

A couple living in Peachland who claimed their legal counsel was “Lord Jesus,” who spoke to them through a stuffed animal, have lost a custody battle over their daughter.

The couple, whose names are concealed to protect the identity of the child, had the child in November 2016, after first meeting in April 2014. But, the daughter was placed in provincial custody when she was one year old. The parents recently unsuccessfully appealed the ruling in Kelowna Supreme Court.

The mother, referred to as A.J., and her husband, D.K., both come from religious families, but appear to have developed more extreme Christian views.

They lived in Surrey, Pemberton and Kelowna before moving to Peachland in 2016.

“On a number of occasions they have been told they are not welcome in churches. This typically occurs after they attempt to purge churches of evil influences,” a recent court decision by Justice Diane MacDonald states.

Prior to the birth of her daughter, A.J. claimed her husband, D.K. regularly beat her, and he had choked her to stop her from crying on more than one occasion, along with covering her mouth with tape. She also claimed her husband “believed sexual relations with children should be encouraged.”

A.J. later denied these claims when she was interviewed by police, but D.K. admitted to putting his hands around her throat and mouth once to “quiet her down."

Six days after the child was born, the couple reluctantly signed a voluntary care agreement and their newborn was transferred from the hospital to a foster home.

A month later, the child was briefly returned to the parents, but after losing 3.5 ounces in four days, she was put back in foster care.

On May 17, 2017, police were called to West Kelowna's Emmanuelle Church, and A.J. and D.K. were arrested for causing a disturbance, as they “allegedly wanted to cleanse the church of evil influences.”

During their daughter's custody trial in October, A.J. and D.K. frequently spoke in tongues to a stuffed toy lion. They claimed Jesus was speaking to them through the toy, and said Jesus was their legal counsel. They refused legal aid assistance.

"When cross-examining witnesses, the appellants advised each witness that it was their lawyer Jesus Christ asking the questions through the voice of the parent," Justice MacDonald wrote.

On November 14, 2017, the courts found the child was in need of protection and she was officially placed in provincial custody. Her parents appealed the decision, but Justice MacDonald dismissed the appeal last week.