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Our investigative team has conducted a thorough examination of the hearings in this case, reviewing every minute of testimony and all documents submitted by both parties. The details uncovered are extensive, and this article represents only a portion of the findings. 

Imagine being falsely accused by an ex-spouse of striking one’s child. Subsequently arrested for the alleged incident, only to be exonerated by Child Protective Services and the District Attorney’s office following two comprehensive investigations. Envision a judge imposing restrictions that separate a parent from their children, grandparents, and extended family for more than four years—depriving them of photographs, videos, birthdays, holidays, and shared memories. Consider the profound impact of this prolonged separation on the parent-child relationship. How is it possible for such an outcome to endure when the accusation was deemed unsubstantiated by authorities—including the child’s own statement that his father had never struck him—and promptly dismissed, yet the court continues to deny standard visitation rights nearly five years later?

In Lexington, Kentucky, Brian Poe’s life took a dramatic turn on August 4, 2021, when a typical day with his children escalated into a series of unfounded accusations and judicial interventions. Mr. Poe, a dedicated father to his then-7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter, learned that day that his ex-wife, Ms. Tuveson, had been taking the children to therapy sessions for several months without his knowledge. These sessions appeared focused exclusively on him, with indications of efforts to distance the children from their father. Upon confronting Ms. Tuveson, she denied the sessions had occurred. Two days later, however, she reported that Mr. Poe had slapped his son with sufficient force to knock him to the ground—an allegation that aligned precisely with the timing of the therapy discovery. Mr. Poe was arrested, despite the absence of any physical marks, bruises, witnesses, or prior history of abuse.

Ms. Tuveson’s account evolved on multiple occasions: she provided varying descriptions to Child Protective Services (CPS), law enforcement, therapists, and the court, alleging ongoing abuse in reports while acknowledging under oath that Mr. Poe had never been abusive toward the children prior to this incident. The investigating detective described her statements as inconsistent, and therapists testified that her representations were not accurate across various matters. The child himself denied ever being struck by his father, and his younger sister stated that their father had never hit them. The only individuals present during the alleged event—Mr. Poe, his current wife, and his son—all offered identical accounts: no physical contact took place. It was described as a verbal disagreement over wet shoes prior to a haircut, during which Mr. Poe warned he would discard his son’s phone if he did not hurry, but no slap occurred.

Nevertheless, during the Domestic Violence Order (DVO) hearing, Judge Sheila Isaacs declined to permit objections from Mr. Poe’s attorney, directing them to reserve all comments until the conclusion. She guided the young child’s questioning in a manner that prompted accusations against his father, despite the child’s inability to recall the location of the alleged strike and repeated assertions that his father had not hit him and had never done so. With no evidence of child abuse presented, Judge Isaacs issued the DVO based exclusively on a 10-second video from years earlier depicting an altercation between Mr. Poe and a former girlfriend, in which the children were not involved. Her rationale: “If this is how you treat women, I could see you doing it to children.”

Child Protective Services conducted a comprehensive investigation, interviewing numerous individuals, reviewing testimonies, examining the notes from the children’s undisclosed therapy sessions, and assessing evidence, ultimately deeming the accusation “unfounded.” The Fayette County District Attorney’s office dismissed all criminal charges shortly after interviewing Ms. Tuveson in February 2022. By that point, however, significant harm had been inflicted. Judge Isaacs mandated highly restricted visitation for Mr. Poe at Greenhouse 17, a facility for children who have experienced abuse: two one-hour sessions per week, effective immediately, accompanied by a gag order prohibiting discussions of the case with the children.

Ms. Tuveson delayed compliance with the order, taking over a month to register at the shelter despite being unemployed and using a vehicle financed by Mr. Poe. She subsequently indicated she could only accommodate one visit per week. Mr. Poe’s first supervised visit occurred three months after his last unsupervised time with the children—the day of the alleged incident and therapy revelation. For three years, Mr. Poe observed his children’s growth through inconsistent one-hour weekly sessions. He would arrive early, preparing snacks and activities on a small table, only to be informed that Ms. Tuveson would not bring the children, resulting in repeated denials of access. Photography and video recording were prohibited for three years, and the children were barred from contact with Mr. Poe’s extended family, including grandparents, fostering estrangement after more than three years of separation.

The case transitioned to Judge Libby Messer, who expressed skepticism toward the CPS findings exonerating Mr. Poe, stating they “blow my mind,” and disregarded the dismissal of charges by the District Attorney. She reprimanded Mr. Poe for contesting the children’s statements—made a year after their removal—despite therapy notes, reports from multiple therapists, and the Friend of the Court (FOC) indicating coaching had occurred. Therapy records from the undisclosed sessions contained evident signs of influence, which Ms. Tuveson’s attorney successfully moved to exclude from the court record with Judge Messer’s approval.

Judge Messer withheld restoration of standard visitation until Mr. Poe acknowledged “his part in this,” suggesting it could have been an isolated event. Such extended separations for a single alleged slap appear rare in custody cases. She later cautioned that maintaining his position of innocence could prevent reinstatement of visitation and jeopardize his 50-50 custody arrangement. Eventually, she conceded the incident might not have occurred but asserted it was no longer relevant.

A notable instance of Judge Messer’s approach involved ordering Mr. Poe to pay Ms. Tuveson several thousand dollars based on her claim of non-receipt. Mr. Poe submitted bank statements and Zelle transaction records demonstrating all payments had been completed, but Judge Messer declined to review them, stating in court, “I’m not looking at all of that.” Despite Ms. Tuveson’s sworn testimony that she had received no funds from Mr. Poe, Judge Messer offered an alternative explanation: “I don’t think the money went for that…”

Judge Messer permitted Ms. Tuveson to retain primary custody of the children, notwithstanding her conduct. Ms. Tuveson, who did not complete high school, is employed as a content creator on OnlyFans, holds beliefs such as the Earth being flat, and has alleged that Delta pilots disperse mind-altering chemicals on behalf of the government. She directed the children to record videos expressing affection toward unidentified men—subscribers to her OnlyFans account—in efforts to obtain gifts and funds. She produced OnlyFans content in the children’s presence. On her son’s first day of first grade during remote learning amid COVID-19, she withheld his books and supplies because it coincided with Mr. Poe’s visitation day, leaving the child in tears and unable to participate in class.

Now aged 12 and 9, the son and daughter continue to share a room, sleeping on a mattress on the floor since 2019. Ms. Tuveson trimmed her daughter’s hair with scissors on the same day it had been professionally styled by her stepmother, following the child’s enthusiastic display. The children have accumulated over a month of school absences annually since their removal from Mr. Poe. Ms. Tuveson cited fabricated medical issues for her son’s truancy, consulting multiple physicians and prescribing various medications until UK Hospital intervened, recommending cessation. She arranged for an endoscopy on his stomach and requested a prostate exam for the young boy; the hospital declined and raised concerns about possible Munchausen syndrome by proxy with Mr. Poe. She also administered an unregulated medication sourced from Central America to her son.

Ms. Tuveson’s drug use was documented on video. During her most recent pregnancy, it was reported to CPS, though she testified under oath that Dr. Parrot—a prominent obstetrician at Central Baptist Hospital who delivered both children—had approved it. His office, in fact, had filed the report.

Ms. Tuveson disregarded every mediation order without repercussions, as Judge Messer imposed none. She was required to return Mr. Poe’s vehicle on January 1, 2019, but has not done so; she acquired a Mercedes three years ago, while Mr. Poe continues monthly payments for the original car, including full insurance and taxes. She bypassed the first right of refusal provision, denying Mr. Poe time with the children during her travels. Both parents were entitled to claim the children on taxes, but Ms. Tuveson filed prematurely each year, claiming both. She denied Mr. Poe’s visitation 26 times between May 2020 and early 2021, postponed supervised sessions, and withheld the children eight times in late 2024.

The parental alienation efforts by Ms. Tuveson were pronounced, with Judge Messer permitting four years of unrestricted influence. Ms. Tuveson exhibited behaviors consistent with alienation indicators: restricting Mr. Poe’s access, sharing personal and legal details with the children, attempting to alter their surnames to disassociate from their father, withholding information from him, and preventing contact with his family. She instructed the children to address their father by his first name and informed them he was absent at their births and did not love them, as documented by the FOC. Judge Messer did not intervene in these actions.

As a result of the prolonged separation and alienation, Mr. Poe’s paternal relationship has been severely eroded. His daughter, who once insisted on riding his shoulders and required his presence to fall asleep while he read to her, now refuses to hold his hand. She abandons preferred activities rather than participate with him and states, “Mom says I don’t have to tell you how I feel.”

The therapist from the undisclosed sessions testified against Ms. Tuveson, indicating that her statements were inaccurate, that neither child appeared to have been abused by Mr. Poe, and that the pressure placed on the son to provide certain accounts had adversely affected his mental and physical health. Multiple therapists and the FOC observed signs of coaching, and every evaluator retained by Mr. Poe confirmed his fitness as a parent. Judge Messer set aside these elements: the absence of evidence, the coincidence of the accusation with the therapy discovery, Ms. Tuveson’s varying accounts, the DVO ruling (which continues to restrict access), CPS determinations, testimonies from Mr. Poe, his wife, both children, and Ms. Tuveson herself (admitting no prior abuse), the undisclosed therapist’s assessment, evidence of inconsistencies, and the child’s treatment during the DVO hearing.

From the outset, Judges Isaacs and Messer overlooked exonerating information. Questions arise regarding Judge Isaacs’s handling, potentially due to age or systemic issues in Fayette County’s family court. Judge Messer’s evident partiality lacks justification.

As of December 2025, following four years of one-hour supervised visits at a facility for children who have experienced abuse, Mr. Poe has secured the ability to host his children at home. However, Judge Messer restricted this to two hours twice weekly—a marginal improvement. Thirty minutes are allocated to transportation, and the children arrive hungry each time. Preparing meals at home consumes at least another 30 minutes; dining out requires an hour or more. Consequently, Mr. Poe is afforded only 30 to 45 minutes of substantive interaction with his son and daughter, a limited duration after years of separation stemming from unsubstantiated claims and unaddressed alienation.

Next week, Judge Messer is scheduled to review a motion that would permit this unemployed mother—who provides inadequate nutrition, fails to ensure school attendance, and has contributed to the children’s health issues (including her son’s significant weight gain, aversion to school, and avoidance of activities)—to relocate the children to Miami to advance her OnlyFans career. She is also considering a contempt charge against Mr. Poe due to an email from an individual in his mother’s prayer group requesting standard visitation for him and the grandparents.

Complaints have been prepared for submission to the Judicial Conduct Commission regarding both judges. An organization has been established to assist others facing similar unfairness from Judge Messer and to oppose her re-election. This case underscores the need for scrutiny of family court practices in Lexington, Kentucky, to prevent the disruption of families and adverse impacts on children due to perceived judicial biases. For fathers advocating for their parental rights, resources and support networks exist. Sharing this account and calling for systemic reforms can contribute to addressing imbalances in a process intended to prioritize truth and child welfare.