http://www.insideedition.com/news.aspx?storyID=1389
Too Religious to Keep Her Daughter?
11-year-old Libby Mashburn is at the center of a child-custody battle with far-reaching consequences. Libby's mother says she lost primary custody of her daughter because she was deemed to be too religious.
Libby tells INSIDE EDITION, "I think children should be able to choose who they want to live with."
Libby's mom Laura Snider is a member of an ultra-conservative Baptist church in Alabama. Libby spends several hours each week attending sermons. On weekends, she goes to Sunday school.
The church encourages its parishioners to dress modestly, so Libby's closet is filled with skirts that fall below the knee.
Libby's mom, like other women in the church, doesn't wear makeup or swim in public. When they do swim, they don't wear swimsuits, instead they wear long dresses that Libby shows INSIDE EDITION.
They shun popular culture, so Libby doesn't watch much TV. She's heard of teen idol Hannah Montana but says she has never listened to her music.
The question is: Should Laura Snider's religious beliefs be a factor in determining custody in a divorce? Libby's mother says the Alabama Supreme Court thinks so. The court awarded 60% custody to Libby's father, William Mashburn.
Her mom believes she lost primary custody because of her fundamentalist brand of Christianity, which she said was made to look like a cult. Now she and her new husband Brian Snider are fighting to get Libby back.