A Broken Arrow boy at the center of a yearslong custody fight ran away from his guardian this week and told an adult he was being abused, setting off a fresh round of courtroom maneuvering and political pressure. The episode has yanked an already volatile dispute back into public view as relatives and local officials press for answers.
According to FOX23, the boy slipped away from his guardian and was found by a woman, Julia Evans, who said the child told her he was being abused and pleaded, “please do not make me go back.” FOX23 reports that an emergency protective order sought by Bill and Lisa Woolley was thrown out by a judge on May 20, while a separate protective order is still in effect, with a hearing set for July. The station also notes that state Rep. J.J. Humphrey labeled the situation “an emergency situation,” and state Sen. Dana Prieto asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to get involved and sent letters to the attorney general, governor and district attorney.
Background: Woolley Case And Guardianship Fight
Bill and Lisa Woolley were thrust into public view in 2018 after the death of their 14-month-old grandson and were later charged in that case, with prosecutors dropping those criminal charges in 2021, according to reporting and court records. Newly unsealed documents obtained by News On 6 show that both parents signed the boy over to a relative as permanent guardian in 2021, and that court orders have restricted contact between the child and the Woolleys. Those filings have become a central point of contention in public arguments over whether the boy was properly placed with the guardian and whether he wanted to stay there.
DHS Involvement And Neighborhood Fallout
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services had previously removed another child from the Woolleys’ care during the investigation, and the couple say they lost jobs and endured intense public backlash while the case played out, according to KRMG. The Woolleys have responded with lawsuits, billboards and frequent media appearances to argue their side, while the guardian’s attorney has warned about harassment and threats aimed at the family and the child. The back-and-forth has split neighbors and fueled demands for an outside review of what actually happened.
What Happens Next
The judge’s decision to toss the emergency protective order does not settle the core custody battle. The existing protective order, along with the July hearing, will drive any changes to contact or custody limits. In cases like this, family-court judges typically weigh what the child says, the guardian’s fitness and any documented evidence of harm, while also working within strict privacy rules that keep much of the record sealed. Local officials, investigators and the Woolley family all say they are waiting on the court process and any formal investigative findings to sort through the competing claims.
The boy’s brief disappearance and the latest ruling have pulled a long-running, bitter dispute back into the spotlight in Broken Arrow. With a key summer hearing on the calendar and renewed calls for outside probes, relatives and neighbors are likely to be watching the courthouse closely in the months ahead.
