The McGuckin story made international headlines

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Felony injury to children charges filed against JoAnne McGuckin late last May have been dropped. Bonner County Prosecutor Phil Robinson, in an uncommon display of compassion, stated that he dropped the charges because he has learned that the behavior that led up to McGuckin's arrest was due to mental illness, not criminal intent.

Beginning May 29, 2001 after “authorities” attempted to job function email list assume custody of the five McGuckin children that had been left to fend for themselves upon the arrest of their mother for alleged child abuse and neglect. Their father, Michael McGuckin, had recently died of complications from Multiple Sclerosis.

Rather than go quietly with the people who arrested their mother, the kids said, “Get the guns,” and sicced their dogs on sheriff's deputies and Child Protective Services employees. The kids' unexpected move began a five day standoff, the surface of which was covered by the international press corps. At the same time, The Idaho Observer, Attorney Ed Steele and others began to uncover a four-year plot by Bonner county officials, private real estate developers and local attorneys to steal the McGuckin's beautiful 40 acres of private lakefront property. The McGuckins were targets for greedy opportunists because they were cash poor and property rich.