A Romanian couple living in Sweden has spent the last few years fighting for their children after an abuse investigation. Daniel and Bianca Samson claim that because they are religious Christians, they are being targeted for their beliefs. Several years ago, in a fit of preteen angst, their daughter made accusations about her parents that landed her and her sister in foster care. Although the couple has since been cleared of the accusations, their daughters have not been returned to the home. Now, they are using all of the religious resources at their disposal to reunite their family.
The parents have hit a wall with the Swedish government.
Daniel and Bianca Samson have been living in Sweden for nearly a decade and believe the country is unfairly targeting them, ADF International, who are helping the family fight the case, shared in a press release.
In March 2026, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the case brought by the couple is inadmissible. According to a report on the case from Decision Magazine, this means that the decision is final and cannot be repealed.
“This case strikes at the heart of every parent’s most fundamental right—the freedom to care for and protect one’s children. The Samsons are living every parent’s worst nightmare, having lost their children to the state for nearly three years,” ADF International legal counsel Guillermo Morales Sancho shared in the news release.
The investigation has lasted years.
In December 2022, Sweden’s child protective services removed the Samsons’ two oldest daughters, Sara and Tiana. Sara Samson made abuse allegations at school because she was angry her parents wouldn’t allow her to wear makeup or have a smart phone. She quickly recanted her claims, but by then, an investigation was already in motion.
The parents agreed to temporary foster care while the investigation took place. When nothing was found to prove they were abusive, the case was closed, but that was just the beginning of the struggle.
Citing their refusal to let the girls wear makeup and have phones as well as their frequent church attendance, child protective services branded the parents “religious extremists,” refusing to return their daughters to their care.
Since June 2023, the sisters have been placed in separate foster homes far away from each other. Currently, the parents are allowed one visit per month.
Between January and June 2024, Daniel and Bianca Samson were required to take mandatory parenting training while also caring for their five additional children in the home. When the training was over, the two therapists instructing the training certified that the couple were capable parents. Still, their daughters were not returned to them.
The prolonged separation is negatively affecting their daughters.
According to the news release, Sara Samson is facing extreme mental and physical health issues during her time in the care of the state. Both girls have allegedly attempted suicide.
“We love our children. We trusted Sweden to protect them—and when the truth emerged, we expected our daughters to come home. Yet they remain away from us, and their mental health continues to deteriorate,” Daniel Samson expressed in a statement shared by ADF International in 2025.
The couple has tried to get their home country of Romania involved in the case. They asked if their daughters could be moved to foster care in the country but were denied. Daniel Samson also spoke before Romanian parliamentarians and engaged their media to help the family’s plight.
“We deeply regret the Court’s decision to reject this case, considering that this family has been torn apart for over three years despite a full investigation that cleared Mr. and Mrs. Samson of any abuse,” Morales Sancho said. “Families should be free to live according to their convictions without fear of losing their children to the state.”
