The Shadow Reports
What the system hides, we uncover.
The Shadow Reports is the investigative core of Project HAVEN, focused on exposing the concealed failures inside domestic violence cases, CPS actions, DA units, and family courts.
We analyze the records others try to bury — backdated filings, missing reports, misidentified victims, sealed documents, false allegations, and institutional misconduct revealed through FOIA and public-records requests.
Our goal is simple:
to shine light where the system refuses to look, and to bring accountability to the places where families are most at risk.
Confidential submissions are welcome.
The Psychiatric Weapon: How Mental Health Was Turned into a Weapon of Control
California’s family courts exploit psychological diagnoses to control parents, particularly those with ADHD and PTSD. Brenna Gano’s experience illustrates how evaluators and therapists profit within a closed loop of referrals and prescribed therapies. The cycle perpetuates trauma while undermining due process, leading to economic and emotional devastation for affected parents.
Inside People v. Smiel: When Process Becomes the Story
Giselle Smiel faces five felony charges, including kidnapping, after picking up her child at a San Diego school. Her defense argues that the charges lack legal basis due to improper venue and insufficient evidence. Concerns about ADA violations and a lack of due process during her detention are also highlighted by her supporters.