Julie Valadez Wins Appeal — Trial Court Ignores Ruling, Jails Mom on $500K Bond After Critical Heart Attack

Wisconsin mother and domestic violence survivor remains behind bars despite an appellate victory. Her health is in crisis after suffering a heart attack in custody.

Julie Valadez and children, Facebook Profile. April 7, 2021

Julie C. Valadez, a Wisconsin mother of four and domestic violence survivor, sits in Walworth County Jail on a $500,000 cash bond. Prosecutors charged her with two felonies for interfering with child custody—after her 15-year-old son fled alleged abuse and crossed into Canada to be with her.

Julie won a rare appellate court ruling that confirmed the trial court had illegally stripped her parental rights. But instead of complying, the lower court defied the ruling and refused to return her children.

The system has now criminalized, jailed, hospitalized, and silenced her—all because she tried to protect her children.

A Dire Medical Emergency

“Julie was arrested in Seattle in May 2025. While in custody, she suffered a massive heart attack. Despite her medical trauma, she returned voluntarily to Wisconsin — determined to fight the charges and clear her name.

Instead, the court placed her behind bars with half a million dollars in cash bail.

I saw Julie yesterday. What I saw broke my heart. She is extremely ill, and her health has deteriorated severely while in jail. She told me directly that she is very sick, and that her heart is damaged from her recent heart attack while in custody.

She is weak. She is in pain. And she is scared. If we don’t help her — she may die in jail.”

– May 28, 2025 – Luz Sosa via Medium

A GoFundMe has been set up for Julie Valadez by Luz Sosa at link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-julie-valadez-help-a-mother-fight-for-freedom

Julie Valadez, Go Fund Me Post. May 28, 2025.

The Escape that Became a Felony

Julie’s son Ethan Valadez fled his father’s custody in 2023, seeking safety with his mother in Canada. No abduction occurred. Ethan acted on his own. His name became public after Walworth County issued a runaway alert shared across social media.

In May 2025, Julie was detained in Seattle on a Wisconsin warrant. While in custody, she suffered a massive heart attack. After stabilizing, she voluntarily returned to Wisconsin to fight the charges. Instead, she was jailed under a half-million-dollar bond, with no access to proper medical care.

From Appeal Victory to Jail Cell

In 2018, Julie filed for divorce from her ex-husband Ricardo Valadez, a former pastor accused of domestic abuse. Instead of protection, Judge Michael Aprahamian barred her from all contact with her children—an order later deemed illegalby the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

But the trial court ignored the appellate ruling. Judge Ralph Ramirez left the orders in place, and Judge Jennifer Dorow, who now presides over the case, has not reinstated Julie’s parental rights.

“Julie Valadez won a rare appeal… her children should have then been returned to her,” said Danielle Pollack of National Safe Parents Organization (NSPO). “Instead… she has been jailed.”

Police Misconduct and Buried Evidence

According to reporting by Hispanic News Network U.S.A., the criminal case against Julie may be built on false police testimony and suppressed abuse evidence:

• Det. Trevor Hinman of the Delavan Police Department allegedly filed a false police report.

• In court, he denied knowing Julie or Ethan, despite being assigned to Ethan’s abuse case when the boy called 911 on his father.

• Hinman was the detective who buried the original abuse report and gave Ethan’s iPad—containing evidence—to the alleged abuser, depriving Ethan of access for nearly a year.

Other Women Criminalized for Helping

Julie along with two other women are facing related charges:

• Kimberlee Coronado, 48, of Waukesha, charged with one felony count, will appear in court on October 14, 2025.

• Kathryn Alamea-Xian, 52, of Hawaii, charged with two felony counts, is currently seeking refugee status in Canada.

All three are accused of assisting a child in escaping abuse.

Wisconsin's Systemic Failure

As documented in multiple reports by HNNUSA, Wisconsin officials—judges, prosecutors, and police—have consistently failed to protect Julie or hold Ricardo Valadez accountable.

Julie’s appellate victory was ignored. Her abuse reports were buried. And now, she is fighting for her life from behind bars.

“Julie has endured medical trauma, judicial abuse, and systemic betrayal,” said a source close to the family. “And still, she returned voluntarily—because she believes in justice. That should matter.”

What You Can Do

Next Hearing: June 6, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – Walworth Judicial Center, Room 2055
Donate: GoFundMe – Justice for Julie Valadez
Share: Use the hashtag #JusticeForJulieValadez

Case Related Articles:

• Appeal Victory

• Buried Abuse Report

• False Police Report

• Wisconsin Judicial Failure

The time for action is now. Justice and protection for our children must not remain distant ideals—they must become lived realities.

Lawmakers, the media, and the public must come together to demand justice for families and protection for children.

Are you committed to protecting American children and restoring integrity to our legal system?

Contact your legislative representatives. Speak out. Reach out to media outlets. And vote.

Together, we can ignite a national movement and create lasting change.

Julie M. Anderson-Holburn is a California-based investigative journalist reporting on family court corruption, judicial abuse, and systemic failures. Her work is published on NewsBreak, Substack, and The Family Court Circus, and has been featured by the Center for Judicial Excellence and National Safe Parents. Julie believes that exposing the truth is the first step toward meaningful reform.

This article was made possible by the support of readers like you. Thank you.

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