Father backs wife's decision to take child from Oak Hill school

The father of the 10-year-old girl taken by her mother and older sister from her Oak Hill School last week said he supports his wife's decision.

The mother, who did not have parental custody, is now in a Florida jail.

Anthony Jordan said his wife Sarah was acting on maternal instincts when she disobeyed a court order and drove to Oak Hill Elementary last week to pick up her 10-year-old daughter.

"She said I'm leaving. I don't blame her. She's amazing. Now she's in Escambia County Jail,” said Anthony Jordan.

The two were captured on video leaving the school. The couple’s 16-year-old daughter is also present. Images were distributed by AISD police and a search ensued.

Jordan said he knew a little about the plan and said he couldn't blame her. 

Eleven days prior, the 10-year-old, and couple's 13 and 16 year old daughters were placed into foster care.

"We were blindsided. CPS and two law enforcement officials from Cedar Park showed up, knocked on the door and said we're here to remove the children,” Jordan said.

Court documents show child protective services was acting on allegations of abuse involving Jordan and the 10-year-old.

It notes Jordan was given a stay away order and was not allowed to live with the children following a previous investigation of abuse in 2016. 

Jordan said his eldest daughter recanted the abuse complaint from last year. He said this recent one is false as well.

"I've never abused my children,” said Jordan.

He said he and his wife maintained contact with their children and were notified multiple times about concerning events from their youngest while in foster care.

"Children were pulling her hair, threatening her, she was afraid for her life and literally two girls and a boy held her down on the floor. They boy placed a pillow over her head and sat on her to suffocate her,” he said.

He said another situation involved a stabbing.

"So my wife heard about it and said she'd had enough,” said Jordan.

Jordan said he met up with his wife and their girls and headed to Florida.

U.S. marshals stopped Sarah's van in Pensacola on Thursday. She was booked into jail for interference with child custody. The girls were once again placed in foster care.

We caught up with Jordan as he attended a court setting in Williamson County on the CPS case.

He'll now head back to Florida to be with his wife.

"There's not going to be any parent on a jury that's going to say you receive a phone call that your child is being suffocated and stabbed that you're not going to give up everything and go protect them. Sure it could've been done in a different way. Sure this could've been done, but hindsight is 20/20. Emotions take over,” said Jordan.

Regarding the allegations of abuse in the foster system, CPS said it never received any reports or complaints from anyone. Regardless, the agency is going to investigate based on what it has learned from news stories.