Mom Who Says Son's Circumcision is Unconstitutional Gets 1st Day in Court

A Florida woman’s quest to prevent her 4-year-old son from being circumcised landed in federal court Monday as lawyers asked a judge to block the procedure while their client faces interference of custody charges.

The emergency motion requesting a restraining order on behalf of the child against his father was filed one day after the mother, Heather Hironimus, was arrested in Broward County after she failed to follow a county court’s order to turn her son over to his father to have the procedure performed.

The brouhaha over the circumcision began in 2013 when Hironimus revoked her permission for the boy’s father, Dennis Nebus, to have the procedure performed, the Sun-Sentinel reported. That action sparked a series of events that led the one-time couple into a Palm Beach County court where a judge ruled that Nebus had the right to have the boy circumcised.

Rather than hand the child over to Nebus as ordered, Hironimus fled. She reportedly hid out at a domestic violence shelter with the boy, the paper reported.

Deerfield Police caught up with her on Thursday, jail records indicate.

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Monday’s hearing was meant to block the procedure while a pending federal suit works its way through the system. Hironimus’ lawyer, Thomas Hunker, has filed a federal suit that claims the procedure would violate the child’s constitutional rights. Hironimus further contends the boy doesn’t do well with anesthesia and could suffer permanent damage to his genitals should the procedure be allowed, the Palm Beach Post reported.

The federal judge on Monday withheld ruling in the case, but did effectively place a hold on the boy’s circumcision by stating that Nebus could not have the procedure done without giving 10 days’ notice to the court, the Broward Palm Beach New times reported.

Hironimus was still being held in the Broward County Jail as of Monday on a single charge of interference with custody. There is no bond set as she awaits extradition to Palm Beach County, jail records indicate.

Stay with Patch for updates as they become available.

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Booking photo courtesy of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 3:48 p.m. with further information in the case.

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