Rhonda Reyna Archives

The Therapist the Court Ordered

June 2, 2026June 6, 2026 - by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

Dr. Rebecca Bailey, a family therapist, has faced numerous complaints regarding her controversial practice, Transitioning Families, which reunites families amid troubled custody disputes, often in abusive contexts. Critics claim her methods prioritize affluent parents, sidelining protective ones, while courts continue to endorse her, perpetuating a flawed system linked to a broader problematic industry.

2 - Analysis / 4 - Cases / Business / Civil Rights / Civil Rights / Donovon Lynch Case / Entertainment & Media / Law Enforcement / Media / Media & Influence / News & Media / Public Safety / The Reyna Files

“I Can’t Breathe”: The Cases Legacy Media Decided Not to Cover

June 2, 2026June 2, 2026 - by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

The phrase “I can’t breathe” became a global rallying cry after George Floyd. But what happens when similar pleas come from victims whose stories never become headlines? This Riptide investigation examines three cases—from Virginia, England, and California—that raise difficult questions about media attention, accountability, and selective public outrage.

3 - Investigations / 4 - Cases / California / California Watch / California's Broken Public Defense System / Criminal / Family Court / Family Court Reform / The Reyna Files

The Criminalist and the Coerced Plea

May 27, 2026June 7, 2026 - by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

Former criminalist Rhonda Reyna once testified for prosecutors in homicide cases. Years later, she says the same justice system ignored exculpatory evidence, pushed her into a no contest plea, and helped separate her from her daughter. Part one of Riptide’s investigation into California’s broken public defense system.

2 - Analysis / 3 - Investigations / Child Custody / Child Custody / Child Welfare / Domestic Policy / Domestic Violence / Family Court / Family Court Reform / Government / Institutions / Institutions & Accountability / Justice & Governance

The Same Tools

May 20, 2026May 20, 2026 - by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

The article examines how tactics for controlling partners in marriage are mirrored in family court environments, highlighting systemic failures to recognize and address coercive control. Through multiple cases, it illustrates how these controlling behaviors persist in legal proceedings, resulting in devastating outcomes for parents and children, often exacerbated by institutional biases and inadequate judicial training.

3 - Investigations / 4 - Cases / California / California Watch / Court Corruption / Family Court Reform / Institutions / The Reyna Files

The Mother the System Called the Problem

April 25, 2026April 25, 2026 - by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

On Parental Alienation Awareness Day, Rhonda Reyna’s story exposes a disturbing inversion inside the family court system: the very label meant to protect children from manipulation is increasingly used against the parent raising legitimate safety concerns. As documented warnings go ignored and protective actions are reframed as “alienation,” the system meant to safeguard families instead becomes the mechanism separating them.