Chapter 01 · Earlier history
Before Liana
In her April 2023 signed letter, Haley described thirteen years of abuse during and after the marriage. She said Byron had spent a weekend partying, that she saw white residue in his nose and suspected cocaine, and that an argument ended with him smashing an essential-oil diffuser while she was holding their one-year-old daughter. She wrote that she left for her parents’ home and never returned to live with Byron.
“I did not feel safe.”
Haley said she saw him striking the steering wheel of his truck after he left the house.
The dates in Haley’s account
August 2, 2016 · Haley leaves Byron
Haley described suspected cocaine use and a rage in which Byron smashed a diffuser while she held Isla. She said she left that day and never returned to live with him.
When Isla was two · Concerns after visits
Haley’s message says Isla repeatedly returned from her father’s home with redness that cleared after a few days with her. She said she took photographs after one particularly bad weekend when Isla was two.
September 2020 · Held until she panicked
Haley wrote that five-year-old Isla said Byron held her in a ball and would not let go, making her panic. Haley said she reported it to CPS and that Isla was interviewed by police six weeks later.
March 7, 2021 · Bruises after Byron’s visit
Haley reported bruises on Isla’s leg, tailbone and waist or back. She recorded Isla describing being spanked and locked in her room.
October 10–28, 2021 · Further disclosures to Donna and Elise
Haley’s signed letter says Isla told Donna that her father did bad things to her, then told Elise about being locked in her room without bathroom access and urinating on the floor. Haley said she withheld the next visit on October 28 and that a further CPS case was closed.
Sources: Haley Winter’s signed letter, April 29, 2023; Haley’s March 7, 2021 message; Haley’s message about redness after visits.
Haley’s recordHaley’s account of the drug-use and rage incident.
Haley’s record“He smashed it on the ground, screamed right in my face while I was holding Isla.”
Haley’s record“My daughter would come home after every visit with her dad with a very red vagina.”
Chapter 02 · Reports about Isla
Byron’s long history of domestic violence
Haley’s letter records multiple reports to Child Protective Services and describes what Isla told Haley, her aunt Elise, and her grandmother Donna. Haley said the reports did not result in protection for Isla.
Haley’s reportsHaley’s message about bruising and reporting to CPS.
Dated messagesMarch 2021 messages documenting Haley’s concerns.
Haley’s reportsHaley’s account of Isla’s condition after visits and her CPS report.
Haley’s wordsHaley said repeated reports had not helped her protect Isla.
Recorded primary evidence
Isla’s own words, describing Byron’s abuse. (The Jury did not hear this)
These are the same two recordings shown on Haley’s page. Isla speaks with Haley and her aunt Elise Winter. The family said the recordings were made for a report to Child Protective Services.
Isla tells Elise about being left alone in her bedroom and being hit.
Excerpt from the recording
Elise: “But you’re only 6. You need parents to take care of you.”
Isla: “I know.”
Elise: “Where does he hit you?”
Isla: “Where he always does.”
“Isla came home to me with bruises all over.” (returning from Byron’s home)
Chapter 03 · May 19, 2022
The Death Threats (the jury did not see this)
Haley wrote that Liana received death-threat voicemails on May 19, 2022. After hearing them, Haley said she immediately recognized Byron’s voice.
“These voicemails did not shock me at all.”
An earlier public letter about Amanda and Drew said they, Liana, and Liana’s husband received recorded death threats. The letter attributed the voice to Byron while reporting that the calls came from a phone number associated with Cameron Irwin.
Haley’s signed words: “On May 19, 2022 Liana received death threats. When I heard the voicemails myself I immediately knew it was Byron’s voice. I have endured years of abuse from Byron both during our marriage and then after we separated.”
Signed letter to a federal judge · April 29, 2023
The earlier public letter says the calls were reported to law enforcement and investigated.
Chapter 04 · The custody and campaign connection
People once opposed to Byron later worked with him
Haley said her parents helped her leave Byron, then sided with him after she disclosed abuse she attributed to her father. In a message she called him her “psycho ex” and wrote that her parents “turn around and partner up with him when I shine a light on their abuse!!”
Haley’s wordsHaley wrote that her parents helped her leave Byron, then partnered with him.
Family messagesA message concerning Isla’s visits with Haley’s parents.
Chapter 05 · The affidavit
Byron asked a complete stranger to write an affidavit to help him take Isla away from her mom, Haley.
Paula testified that she and Wade met Byron and Stefanie after a mutual contact brought the families together. Byron’s lawyer requested an affidavit for the Canadian custody case, and Wade confirmed that he wrote it. Paula acknowledged that she had assumed Liana was involved in Amanda’s move, despite having no facts to support that assumption. She also testified that Wade’s affidavit was based on a belief, not facts. Trial transcripts 5-47–5-52; 5-166; 7-48–7-51.
Byron asked a complete stranger—someone who knew nothing about him or Haley—to write an affidavit to help take Isla away from her mother. The basis was belief, not facts.
Chapter 06 · The later account
Byron forced Haley to turn on Liana “if I wanted Isla back”
“I don't remember the details of what they wanted me to say”— Haley under oath when asked if Byron made her write a letter turning on Liana.
At the August 2026 federal trial, Haley testified for Byron. Asked what kind of father he was for Isla, she answered that she thought he was “a great dad.”
Q: What kind of dad is Byron for Isla now?
A (Haley): “I actually think he’s a great dad.”
Trial transcript p. 6-191
Then she admits that she had to say what Byron wanted in order to see her daughter.
Q: In order for you to get partial custody of Isla in December of 2023, you agreed to turn on my client, correct?
A (Haley): “I was supposed to agree to that at that point, yes, if I wanted Isla back.”
Trial transcript p. 6-200
Sadly, Haley is still an abused woman, being threatened and forced to protect her and her daughter's abuser—just so she can see her daughter. The court system allowed it in both Canada and the United States.
Chapter 06 · Letter to a Federal Judge
Haley’s Letter to a Federal Judge
Haley’s complete three-page letter is reproduced below so it can be read directly on the page. The original signed document remains available beneath the transcription.
Transcribed from Haley Winter’s signed letter dated April 29, 2023. Original wording, spelling, and punctuation are preserved.
Honorable Judge Susan Oki Mollway
Judge of U.S. District Court of Hawaii
300 Ala Moana Blvd C-388
Honolulu, HI 96850
Your Honor,
I am a student of Liana Shanti. I have taken her programs and they have helped me heal and grow in many areas of my life. Last year I attempted to leave Canada with my daughter. This was a decision I made on my own. Liana never once encouraged me to take my daughter out of the country. In fact, she has spoken many times to follow the legal process 100%. I failed to follow that advice and I have paid the price for that. Byron Horvath is my ex-husband the defendant in her defamation case against him. We have a daughter named Isla, she is 7 years old.
On March 20, 2022 I attempted to take Isla across the border into the Unites States from Canada. We were denied at the border. I have dealt with being abused by Byron Horvath for 13 years. He abuses my daughter. No one within the police service or social services have been able to help me protect Isla. I have made many reports to Child Protective Services and the Police which I will detail in this letter. Isla was born with a congenital heart defect. She has had 3 open heart surgeries. She is the most amazing little girl. She does not deserve to be treated the way she is, and I want the absolute best medical care for her that I can find. I made an appointment to see a top cardiologist in the United States.
My plan was to take her there and also have a break from the chaos I felt we were in. This decision was the worst decision I have ever made in my life. Isla was removed from my care on April 14, 2022 on the grounds that I was a threat to flee the country. It will forever be the worst day of my life. On May 18th a judge ruled that I was to see Isla twice a month on Saturday at 10-6pm and Sunday 10:30-6pm supervised. Prior to this I was Isla’s primary caregiver. She would go to Byron’s house Thursday to Sunday every other week and 50/50 during holidays.
On May 19, 2022 Liana received death threats. When I heard the voicemails myself I immediately knew it was Byron’s voice. I have endured years of abuse from Byron both during our marriage and then after we separated. These voicemails did not shock me at all. He is someone who I have witnessed to be “above the law”. He can do anything without consequence it seems.
I have had grave concerns over Byron’s drug and alcohol use as well as how he treats our daughter Isla.
I left Byron on August 2, 2016 when Isla was 1 year old. He had spent that entire weekend partying and I realized that he was using cocaine. When I asked what the white stuff was in his nose he told me it was “paint chips”. We had a fight that day and he exploded in a full blown rage on me. He took an essential oils diffuser and smashed it on the floor in front of me. I was holding Isla and he was screaming in my face. I did not feel safe. I got him to leave the house and when I saw him through the window I could see him smashing the steering wheel in his truck. It was very scary. I left that day and went to my parents’ house. I never returned to live in Raymore SK.
In September of 2020 Isla (5 years old) shared with me after a visit at Byron’s house that he held her in a ball and wouldn’t let her go. She told me it made her panic. When Isla shared this with me, she said she was scared he would find out she told me about this incident. I reported this to Child Protective Services. It took 6 weeks for Isla to be interviewed by the Weyburn Police. I had Isla with me that entire time. The police officer who interviewed Isla did not believe there was a serious issue from what Isla had said in the interview.
After this I requested that Byron provide a hair follicle drug test. He refused.
On March 7, 2021 I picked Isla up from being with Byron and Stefanie (his then fiancé). That night when I was helping Isla put her pyjamas on I noticed 3 bruises on her body. One on her leg, a large one on her tailbone and another on her waist. I asked her how she got them. I recorded the conversation about the bruises. She told me that her dad spanked her and locked her in her room. She stated in the recording that her dad says “Children should be spanked”. She told me she was locked in her room for hours. She also told me that her dad spanks her when he is playing and when he is mad.
I reported this to CPS. Isla was interviewed. The social worker believed that nothing was wrong while Isla was in Byron’s care.
On October 10, 2021 Isla told my mother Donna Winter that her dad “does bad things to her.”
On October 22,2021 My sister, Elise Winter took Isla shopping. While they were shopping Isla told Elise that she gets locked in her room and Byron or Stefanie won’t let her out to go pee. She told Elise that she had been peeing on her bedroom floor and covering it up. She told Elise that she got out of her room one time and she thought she was home alone. She said she was so scared. She ended up finding Byron and Stefanie outside smoking.
On October 28, 2021 I decided not to send Isla with Byron. I could not send Isla after what she had shared with my mother Donna, my sister Elise and myself. I have been working to advocate for Isla’s safety since I left Byron in 2016. I have not been successful at all. Every report I have made has not helped me protect Isla in any way. After this attempt at protecting Isla the social worker who investigated this report said she would no longer take calls from me and this case was closed.
Isla has come home from visits with Byron many times with very red private parts. I have taken pictures when it was particularly bad. I am a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of my father Brian Winter and I often had very red and raw private parts as a child.
On May 21, 2022 days after Liana received the death threats, a social worker by the name of Gay Wilderman from Child Protective Services came to my home in Weyburn asking if Isla was in my care. I told her she was not and that I had lost custody of Isla. Gay informed me that CPS received a report on April 29th, 2022 that Isla was being sexually abused and they could not track Byron down. Gay asked me if I knew where Isla was. I told her I thought she was in Moose Jaw with my sister Elise at her boyfriend Cameron Irwin’s house. They contacted my sister and called me back to inform me that Isla was safe with my sister. Nothing ever came out of that report.
In closing, I want to make it very clear that Liana had nothing to do with my decision to attempt to leave Canada with Isla. I made that choice all on my own. Liana’s work has changed my life in a very deep and profound way. It has empowered me to step away from my very abusive family and heal from a deeply traumatic childhood that was filled with sexual, physical, emotional and financial abuse. Byron Horvath as well as my father Brian Winter are not a fan of Liana only because they no longer have any control over my life, and I am speaking the truth loudly.
Sincerely,
Haley Winter
Haley Winter (Apr 29, 2023 06:31 MDT)
Date: Apr 29, 2023
Location: April 29,2023