Berryville mother tells Winchester council she believes a drug test was falsified in child's removal

Winchester — During public comment on Nov. 12, Claire Connor of Berryville addressed the council about her ongoing child custody dispute, alleging that a drug test administered by a clinician at Amherst Family Practice was falsified and that state and local agencies have not remedied the situation.

Connor said her son was removed 706 days ago and that a retest she obtained from an external lab showed negative results for the substances that the initial test reportedly indicated. "It has now been 706 days since my son was removed after a falsified drug test done by Makayla Butcher at Amherst Family Practice," Connor told councilors. She also said police paperwork and a signed court removal order did not accompany the removal and that she has repeatedly provided documentation, including correspondence from an external laboratory, to support her claim.

Why it matters: Connor's remarks raised allegations of improper medical testing and questions about agency processes in child removal cases. She told council members she has repeatedly presented evidence and that she plans to share recordings with news outlets to prompt action.

What the council did: Connor's comments were presented during the public-comment period; no council or staff response to her specific allegations was recorded on the meeting transcript. The city did not take action during the Nov. 12 meeting to investigate or refer the matter on the record.

Reported claims and status: Connor alleged that a tester at Amherst Family Practice falsified results, cited a negative retest from an external laboratory, and said a supervisor at Amherst Family Practice acknowledged limits on what testers can conclude about positivity. Those allegations were presented by Connor and were not substantiated or disputed in the meeting transcript. There was no on-the-record response from Amherst Family Practice, Child Protective Services, or the courts during the meeting.

Next steps: Because this matter involves individual case details, legal records and agency files are needed to verify Connor's assertions. The council did not vote on or direct staff to investigate the allegations at the Nov. 12 meeting; any follow-up would require either a formal council request or contact between the speaker and relevant agencies.