A former employee of the Oklahoma Human Services (DHS) is facing charges of kidnapping a child and fabricating documents.
On Sunday, Feb. 2, the Midwest City Police received a report of a potential kidnapping incident that involved an employee of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS).
On January 30, Xander Faison arrived at the parent’s home in Midwest City, claiming to work for DHS.
The incident is stirring up even more controversy among those advocating for a grand jury investigation of the agency.
Teresa Teran shrugged and said, “Honestly, I’m not surprised. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened.”
Former Oklahoma State Senator Anastasia Pittman expressed her horror and deep sympathy for the families impacted by this distressing situation.
Faison presented an emergency custody form and made it clear that if the child was not handed over, she would call the police, as stated in the affidavit.
The parent gave Faison permission to take the juvenile, believing that the documents were genuine and that they were going directly to her cousin in Shawnee, who is an approved foster parent by DHS.
According to the affidavit, it was later discovered by the police that Faison had actually taken the child to her home in Oklahoma City, rather than Shawnee.
Faison was apprehended by the police at her residence on Sunday evening, around 8:30 p.m.
According to a DHS employee, Faison was undergoing training for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and her role primarily involved handling calls through the hotline. It was emphasized that she did not have authorization for fieldwork, and there were allegations of falsification of documents.
Teran expressed his fear by stating, “The idea that someone could simply print off credentials, approach your doorstep, and take your children is truly terrifying.”
According to a DHS employee, Faison was able to access databases using DHS software from her work laptop, personal laptop, or cellphone.
According to the affidavit, Faison informed the police that she was approached by someone in November 2024 regarding the possibility of assuming custody of the child. The reason behind this proposition was that the child’s biological mother expressed her unwillingness to care for the child.
In the affidavit, she openly acknowledges that she printed the documents from the internet and completed them.
According to the affidavit, when questioned about whether she utilized her position at DHS to assist the mother and separate the child, she reportedly responded affirmatively, stating “Yeah”.
Pittman emphasized the importance of oversight within the DHS, stating, “This serves as a reminder of the need for vigilant oversight to prevent such failures from recurring.”
On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement, emphasizing the following:
As an agency dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of our state’s children, Oklahoma Human Services holds its staff to very high standards, particularly in their application of state and federal laws designed to protect child safety. Upon learning of this employee’s reported misconduct, the agency immediately notified law enforcement and is cooperating in its investigation. In addition, the individual’s employment has been terminated, and the Department has begun its own internal inquiry. The Department is also working diligently to ensure the safety of everyone involved, most importantly any child impacted by these events. Our commitment to protecting Oklahoma’s children remains steadfast and uncompromising.
“I think having the proper paperwork, the right signatures and the right contact information, maybe they could figure out how this doesn’t happen again,” Teran said.
Jeffrey Cartmell, Director of Human Services said, “This former employee’s alleged actions are absolutely shameful and violate the core values of our agency. Let me be clear—there is zero tolerance for this kind of misconduct. The safety and wellbeing of Oklahoma’s children is our highest priority, and we will act swiftly and decisively to uphold that commitment. While this is an isolated incident, we remain vigilant in ensuring the integrity of our workforce, and any employee who engages in such behavior will be immediately terminated.”
“What does zero tolerance mean? That means it’s after the fact,” Pittman said. “That means there’s families hurting. There’s children who are being displaced.”
Faison is currently being held at the Oklahoma County Jail.