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Three years ago, a couple* brought their almost three-week-old baby boy to the ER with concerns that something was wrong: the father heard a cracking sound during a routine diaper change. That day, their lives changed forever.
Hours after arriving in the ER, and after multiple exams, the couple was told that their baby had multiple fractures, including broken ribs. Allegations of child abuse followed and their son was placed in foster care. That is when the couple’s nightmare — and three years of legal battles — began.
During the course of the proceedings, the baby and the mother were diagnosed with a rare connective tissue disorder, a condition that explained the boy’s fractures and other health problems. Further, experts concluded that the mother’s condition during pregnancy, which involved multiple complications, ultimately resulting in an emergency C-section, also contributed to the baby’s poor health.
The baby was born with depressed respiration and the medical team on staff during the birth had to perform emergency procedures to him to breathe properly. A few hours later, while resting and having his diaper changed, the baby turned blue in color and was rushed to the NICU. In court, multiple expert specialists provided evidence that these complications were in line with having, or being born to a mother with, a connective tissue disorder.
Sadly, despite these testimonies, and expert assertions that the family had been falsely accused of harming the baby boy, the court ruled against the family. After years of fighting the family court system, the judge ruled to have the child, now three, made eligible for permanent adoption — unless the family agreed to admit to abuse within the next six months.
There aren’t words to adequately describe the heart-wrenching, stressful and expensive years of court proceedings the family has endured in hopes of bringing their baby boy home where he belongs.
And they’re still fighting. The family is appealing the court’s decision. This time, their hope is for a more transparent proceeding, with proper oversight, including public accountability. They fight knowing that the person who will suffer most from the splitting apart of this loving family is the child. If they are not successful, he will never know the adoration of his parents or the love his entire extended family, who want nothing more than to hold him, play with him and shower him with the affection he has missed out on for so long. Their grandson, nephew, cousin and most of all, son, belongs at home.
This fight is emotionally draining, but the biggest obstacle is financial. Already, they’ve depleted their resources to pay for legal fees, experts (including court-ordered videoconferences), travel and more. They are now struggling to afford the costs associated with the appeal process.
So the mother and father are asking for your help to give them a fighting chance to get their son back. The estimated cost of the appeal runs into the tens of thousands, but any financial help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your kindness, generosity and support during this family’s time of need. They will never give up hope that justice will prevail.
*Please note that because this is case involves a child, neither the family nor the child can be identified in any manner.
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Il y a trois ans, un couple * ont apporté leur bébé garçon, âgé de presque trois semaines, à l'urgence avec la préoccupation que quelque chose clochait: le père a entendu un craquement lors d'un changement de couche de routine. Ce jour-là, leur vie a changée pour toujours…
Plusieurs heures après leur arrivée à l'urgence, et après plusieurs examens, le couple a appris que leur bébé avait de multiples fractures, y compris des côtes cassées. Les allégations d'abus d’enfant ont suivis et leur fils a été placé en famille d'accueil. Dès lors, le cauchemar du couple - et trois ans de batailles juridiques - a commencé.
Au cours des procédures, le bébé et la mère ont été diagnostiqués avec une maladie rare du tissu conjonctif, une condition qui explique les fractures du garçon et d'autres problèmes de santé. En outre, les experts ont conclu que l'état de la mère pendant la grossesse, impliquant de multiples complications, entraînant finalement une césarienne d'urgence, a également contribué à la mauvaise santé du bébé.
Le bébé est né avec une défaillance respiratoire et le personnel de l'équipe médicale, lors de la naissance, a dû effectuer les procédures d'urgence pour qu’il puisse respirer correctement. Quelques heures plus tard, tout en se reposant et ayant changé sa couche, le bébé est devenu de couleur bleu et a été transporté à l'unité des soins intensifs. En court, plusieurs spécialistes ont fourni des preuves que ces complications étaient liées au fait d’être né d'une mère avec une maladie du tissu conjonctif.
Malheureusement, en dépit de ces témoignages, et des affirmations des experts, disant que la famille avait été faussement accusée de nuire au bébé, le tribunal a statué contre la famille. Après des années de lutte contre le système de la chambre de la famille, le juge a statué que l'enfant, maintenant âgé de trois ans, est admissible à l'adoption permanente - à moins que la famille décide d'admettre à des abus dans les six prochains mois.
Il n'y a pas de mots pour décrire adéquatement les déchirantes, stressantes et coûteuses années de procédures judiciaires que la famille a endurées dans l'espoir de ravoir leur bébé garçon à la maison, où il devrait être.
Et ils se battent encore. La famille porte maintenant la décision de la cour en appel. Cette fois, leur espoir est pour une procédure plus transparente, avec une supervision adéquate, incluant la reconnaissance publique. Ils se battent en sachant que la personne qui souffrira le plus de cette séparation, en dehors de cette famille aimante, est l'enfant. S’ils ne réussissent pas, l’enfant ne connaîtra jamais l'adoration de ses parents ou l'amour de toute sa famille élargie, qui ne veulent rien de plus que de le tenir dans leurs bras, jouer avec lui et l’entourer de leur affection dont il a été privé pendant si longtemps. Leur petit-fils, neveu, cousin et surtout, fils, à sa place à la maison.
Ce combat est émotionnellement épuisant, mais le plus grand obstacle est financier. Déjà, ils ont épuisé leurs ressources pour payer les frais juridiques, les experts (y compris les vidéoconférences ordonnées par le tribunal), voyagement et plus encore. Ils ont maintenant du mal à payer les coûts associés à la procédure d'appel. Ainsi, la mère et le père demandent votre aide pour leur donner la chance de se battre pour obtenir leur fils. Le coût approximatif de l'appel se situe dans les dizaines de milliers de dollars, mais n’importe quelle aide financière serait grandement appréciée.
Merci de votre gentillesse, générosité et votre soutien à cette famille éprouvée. Ils n’abandonneront jamais espoir que la justice prévaudra.
* S'il vous plaît noter que puisque ce cas concerne un enfant, ni la famille, ni l’enfant ne peuvent être identifiés en aucune manière.
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