DENVER — A father whose children were relocated following a report submitted by a now-indicted Colorado parental evaluator is calling for justice.
The Colorado Attorney General's Office on Tuesday announced a 15-count indictment against Shannon McShane, 57, who served as a child and family investigator (CFI) and parental evaluator in child custody cases throughout the state.
The AG's office alleges McShane falsely claimed she earned a PhD in psychology from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. This then allowed her to obtain licensure with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies as a licensed psychologist, certified addiction counselor, and licensed addiction counselor, the AG's office states.
Officials with the University of Hertfordshire do not have records of McShane as a student or graduate, according to the AG's office.
Over six years, McShane served in several positions within the State of Colorado, including as a child and family investigator in child custody cases. In that role, according to the AG's office, McShane would conduct investigations and provide judges and magistrates with reports as well as recommendations on parenting time and decision-making for children. She allegedly testified under oath that she held a PhD.
In addition, McShane also applied for and obtained a position within the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo. On those applications, she stated that she earned a PhD, according to the AG's office.
Steve Ramirez's case was mentioned in the 26-page indictment.
"Whenever I hear the name Shannon McShane, that emotion comes flooding back," said the father of three.
McShane evaluated Ramirez and submitted that report to the court during his 2022 child custody case. Following that report, Ramirez said his three children were immediately relocated to live with their mother in California, even though they had not lived with her in four years.
Ramirez said he was shocked to see what McShane wrote about him in her report.
"Somewhere along the lines of that I'm an abusive father," he said. "According to her, I was some high-class gang member."
Ramirez's attorney fought to disprove McShane's accusations. According to her indictment, the judge in the case had "deep concern for her credibility. He found that the report and testimony were so lopsided that he has McShane removed from the roster of eligible CFIs in the 13th Judicial District.” The judge also sent a letter to the district attorney's office referring McShane for criminal charges, according to the court document.
State
CO parental evaluator allegedly used fake credentials to obtain state license
"I couldn't even look at their bedroom," said Ramirez. "Their bedroom door made me sad. I would see it, and I would just start to cry. I told my wife, 'I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to be in this house. It just reminds me of my kids that I don't have.' You know, it hurt."
After several months and thousands of dollars in legal fees, Ramirez's children came back to Colorado. The father said the indictment against McShane doesn't fix the pain his family continues to feel.
"That doesn't help the situation," said Ramirez. "It doesn't fix what she did to us, and it doesn't fix everything that happened to all the other families because we were not alone."
McShane was charged with eight counts of attempting to influence a public servant, five counts of forgery, perjury, and retaliation against a victim or witness.
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