Unsealed Court Documents Reveal Details Of Broken Arrow Boy's Custody Case

Newly unsealed court documents shed light on the case of a 12-year-old Broken Arrow boy at the center of a docuseries.

The child's grandparents Bill and Lisa Woolley have held news conferences, put out flyers and bought billboards, saying the boy was kidnapped from them by DHS and they want him back. The new records, which were previously confidential, show both the child's mother and father signed the child over to a relative, as his permanent guardian in 2021.

That guardian's attorney tells News On 6, the guardian has been constantly harassed and the boy's name and picture have been plastered everywhere, by people who profess to love him.

“Right now, the child and the permanent guardian are the subject of a harassment campaign. A bullying campaign,” said Jim Milton, the permanent guardian’s attorney.

Milton says it's been disturbing to see how many people believe the lies. He says he couldn't talk until now, because the documents were sealed. He says the documents clearly show the boy was placed in a close relative's home with the blessing of his parents and it was all done by the book.

“It's in public media, social media and there are signs posted throughout Broken Arrow, Wagoner County and sometimes around the state with this child's name and image on the signs. Who does that,” asked Milton.

The boy was removed from his grandparents, Bill and Lisa Woolley, when they were charged with the murder of the boy's younger brother in 2018. Those charges were dropped in 2021, but prosecutors say the case is still open and charges can be refiled. Now, the Woolley’s want him back, even though for the past seven years, he's been living with the relative and permanent guardian.

“They are trying to rip the child away from the permanent guardian determined by the court in the manner outlined, in those unsealed documents,” said Milton.

A judge unsealed the documents this week after a hearing requested by the Wagoner County DA's office.

“I've done this for many years, it's the first time I've ever sought release,” said Wagoner County Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson.

Hutson argued for the release of these confidential records, to prove what actually happened. The judge agreed and ordered the release.

“We believe there was good cause shown, in the best interest of the minor child showed that the biological mother and the biological father actually consented to the permanent guardianship that was entered. This child is not kidnapped,” said Hutson.

The order says the guardian shall not return the child to either parent or any other person without approval from the court, the guardianship is permanent until the child is 18, the child shall have no contact with Bill or Lisa Woolley, and that the child said he wanted to live with this relative.

“I ran a search last night, how many people and who have been saying that this child was kidnapped? Well, it's a lot of folks. A lot of folks. And that's just not true. That simply is not true. There is a legal proceeding and what happened in the legal proceeding can be seen from these release documents,” said Milton.

Records show the child's mother did file a request two years ago to change her decision, but then later withdrew that request.

The judge did tell both parents they could get the child back if they met certified requirements, but neither ever did.

Bill and Lisa Woolley's daughter Glory, says nobody from her family has harassed the guardian of the boy. She says the child’s mom was misled and lied to when she signed over guardianship in 2021.

The Woolley family stands by their claims that the boy is living in an abusive home, pointing to a protective order filed in August, involving two other children who live in the home, that claimed those children were facing abuse. Attorneys agreed those two kids would stay with someone else until the allegations are addressed in court and they say, those kids were not removed from the home by DHS.