Ann Vandersteel (@AnnVandersteel)

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** TAKEN: State-Sanctioned Kidnapping The Truth About the Removal of the Rivera Family's Five Children American Made's Documentary Premiere to Expose DCF Corruption September 7, 2025, 6 PM, Legacy Place, Dedham, MA DEDHAM, MA – American Made Foundation announces the premiere of its explosive new documentary, TAKEN: State-Sanctioned Kidnapping, which will debut on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at Legacy Place Showcase Cinemas in Dedham, Massachusetts. Limited tickets are available for the public screening. Legacy media is invited to Legacy Place to learn the truth about the case firsthand. Jeff Kuhner, morning-drive talk show host on WRKO AM 680, has been a champion of righting the wrongs suffered by the Rivera family since April, when he began covering their case extensively. He will MC the event that spotlights the shocking case of the five Fitchburg children seized by the state while their parents were incarcerated for months—without a single substantiated charge of neglect or abuse. The documentary pulls back the curtain on how police, judges, courts, and rogue Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies, like the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF), tacitly conspire to strip innocent families of their children and their rights. "This story is not an isolated tragedy," says producer Maureen Steele, who delivers revealing interviews in the film. "What happened to the Riveras is happening to families across America, and it's time the public knows the truth." "Declining one shot for one of my five children caused a domino effect I could have never imagined," says Izzy Rivera, the central figure in the film. "I am still in disbelief that in America I have lost almost everything, just for asserting my rights to protect my own children." Kuhner describes the Rivera family's ordeal as a new "shot heard 'round the world," predicting it will ignite a political rebellion against the harmful practices of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the court systems that support them. Last April, Kuhner dubbed it "Justina Pelletier 2.0" and hosted the American Made People's Press Conference at the Massachusetts Statehouse on April 24th. Hear his impassioned commentary: https://youtu.be/gLqfN_eCHic. Rivera, Steele, and her fellow filmmaker and American Made Foundation co-founder, Ann Vandersteel, are among those who will be available for comments about the story and the film at the Q&A following the screening. "Families deserve protection from corruption—not persecution," said Ann Vandersteel, producer and investigative reporter who exposes a wicked web of corruption in the documentary. "This film is the wake-up call America needs." Also featured in the film and available for questions are Mike King, President of the Massachusetts Family Institute, a staunch advocate for parental rights, and attorneys Greg Hession and William Gens, who, since the filming of TAKEN, have stepped up to represent Izzy Rivera in his legal fight to reunite his family. Joining the Q&A panel is attorney Christopher Burns, American Made board member and director of the United Law Coalition, which is filing a landmark federal lawsuit against CPS and associated bad actors. Brian Brase, co-founder of the People's Convoy, will also be present to reunite with Steele and Vandersteel to renew their national grassroots fight for justice in support of the Rivera family. Event Details: ● Sunday, September 7, 2025, 6pm ● Legacy Place Showcase Cinemas, Dedham, MA ● 6PM (general admission seating) ● VIP Reception: 6:00–6:45 PM (producers & special guests) ● Film Screening: 7 PM, Running time 60 minutes ● Post-Screening: Audience Q&A with attorneys, Rivera family, and film producers Limited seating available – General Admission to screening, introduction, Q&A, $25. Add VIP Reception with Rivera family and those featured in the film, $100. Get tickets here, now before they are all TAKEN: http://www.americanmadefoundation.org. For Event Questions or Media Access CONTACT: Joan Quinn Eastman 617.818.7331 ### American Made Foundation is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to exposing government corruption, defending constitutional freedoms, and protecting American families. Past productions include a groundbreaking documentary on CPS abuse in North Carolina. Co-founded by Maureen Steele and Ann Vandersteel, the foundation works hand-in-hand with attorneys, journalists, and activists to restore justice and accountability. American Made Foundation [email protected] http://www.americanmadefoundation.org