Only a guess, not sure what is the correct answer, (just started to learn EJB3.

)
How about you make the parent bean detached from the EM, (is there any method in em to do this job? clear() will detach all the managed entities), and then do em.remove(akid)? then if you want to use the parent, em.find(parent.class, xxx)...
[ June 27, 2006: Message edited by: Joe J. Wang ]
SCJP, SCJD, SCWCD, SCEA I.