As if you needed any more proof that COVID-19 hysteria has gone too far, a Chicago judge has ruled that a mother cannot spend time with her child because the mom has not been vaccinated.

Rebecca Firlit told WFLD that she is being prevented from seeing her son because she refuses to get inoculated against the coronavirus.

“I miss my son more than anything. It’s been very difficult. I haven’t seen him since August 10th,” Firlit said.

The mother has interacted with her son over the phone and through video calls, but has refrained from visiting so she can remain in compliance with the judge’s order. She is appealing the court order, arguing that it is “dividing families” and that “it’s not in my son’s best interest to be away from his mother.”

Firlit and her son’s father have been divorced for seven years and share custody of their child. During an appearance in court, she said Cook County Judge James Shapiro asked whether she had taken the jab. The mother responded, explaining that she had not because she had bad reactions to vaccines in the past. The judge then ordered that she be stripped of her parenting rights until she takes the vaccine.

Firlit’s attorney, Annette Fernholz, stated that the judge did not have the authority to issue such an order. She said:

“In this case you have a judge, without any matter before him regarding the parenting time with the child deciding ‘Oh, you’re not vaccinated. You don’t get to see your child until you are vaccinated.’ That kind of exceeds his jurisdiction.”

Jeffrey Leving, the attorney representing the father, was surprised by the judge’s decision, but agreed with it. He said:

“There are children who have died because of COVID. I think every child should be safe, and I agree that the mother should be vaccinated.”

Fernholz reiterated that the judge did not have the right to issue such a ruling:

“You have to understand the father did not even bring this issue before the court. So, it’s the judge on his own and making this decision that you can’t see your child until you’re vaccinated.”

This is not the first time a judge has used their position to compel citizens to take the injection. Earlier this month, an Ohio judge made the vaccination a condition of a defendant’s parole. In essence, the judge ruled that if he did not receive the injection within two months, he could face prison time.

It does not seem likely that these orders would stand up to scrutiny. However, the fact that this particular judge decided to take such a step is telling. These officials are not content with allowing people to make their own decisions, nor are they concerned with the science around the coronavirus and children. Hopefully, both of these rulings will be overturned. Otherwise, it could set a dangerous precedent.