Did the state of Texas just kidnap a baby? Such a situation may sound unbelievable, but the Justina Pelletier and the Diegel sisters cases make such a medical kidnapping scenario sound at least plausible.
Lorie Blalock – the mother of baby Kathryn — says that Child Protective Services (CPS) took her 4-month-old baby girl out of her arms while the pair was at the UMC Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, Texas. Officials claimed she had not been giving her daughter the necessary medicine, but Blalock denies that and says she gave her daughter every dose that was required, KAMC-TV in Lubbock reported.
Kathryn, now in foster care, was born in June with a rare genetic condition known as Pierre Robin Sequence, in which the infant has a smaller-than-normal lower jaw, a tongue that falls back in the throat, and difficulty breathing. The infant also has feeding problems associated with her soft cleft palate. Kathryn was initially diagnosed with craniosynostosis — an abnormality in the fusion of the skull plates — but doctors ultimately cast aside that diagnosis but then changed their minds again and reverted back to the initial diagnosis, according to MedicalKidnap.com.
Lorie Blalock said she trusted that the doctors knew best, even during the diagnosis switch, and said she tried to follow the care instructions they designed. During her pregnancy she was conscious of the value of good nutrition and followed the guidance of a licensed midwife.
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Kathryn was born at the hospital via a C-section, and she had the umbilical cord wrapped twice around her neck, causing complications.
Lorie requested that her baby only be given the vitamin K shot because of her own history of bad reaction to certain vaccines; in the past she had convulsed and experienced an 18-hour period of unresponsiveness. Blalock said her worries were ignored and her baby was given the Hepatitis B vaccine at the hospital, MedicalKidnap.com reported.
At a little over one month into her life, Kathryn had an acute life threatening event (ALTE) that caused her to stop breathing, and she was taken to the local hospital and then airlifted to UMC Children’s Hospital in Lubbock. She also began having seizures. Mother and child spent the next two weeks at the hospital, and doctors performed surgery to insert a g-button in order to place a long-term feeding tube into her stomach. It would remain until she could have surgery to correct the cleft palate, a condition which was causing her feeding problems.
Doctors reportedly could not determine the cause of the seizures, but medication seemed to be controlling the problem. Lorie was trained how to give doses via the g-button, and mom and daughter were sent home.
Just two day after arriving back home, baby Kathryn was once again rushed to UMC Children’s Hospital. The next day hospital staff and CPS reportedly told Lorie they were removing her baby girl from her custody due to the child’s medical condition, and because they didn’t believe she had administered the medicine properly. Having only been home a total of 48 hours, the Texas mom was in shock and disbelief.
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The mom insisted they were wrong and repeated every detail of the care instructions to CPS and UMC staff. The alleged basis for the lack of care accusation was based upon a test that showed the level of phenobarbital in her bloodstream was 9.5 mg, but it should have been at least 10 mg, MedicalKidnap.com reported.
A CPS official said in a phone interview, “Both doctors and CPS had very serious concerns about the parent’s ability and their willingness to provide adequate medical care for what were really extreme health issues.”
But the mom disagrees.
“They had no actual proof of neglect or abuse before they took her,” Lorie told the TV station. “I had done everything. She spent almost her whole life since she’s been born in and out of the hospital, and no mom wants that. We are ready to have her home. I would never neglect or abuse any of my children, they are all very special to me. And if I wasn’t seeking medical care, I would have never had her in a hospital her whole life.”
Lorie and her family have only been allowed to see Kathryn twice in the month since she was taken away. On Oct. 15, the state of Texas reportedly attempted to sever all parental rights but Blalock’s lawyer was able to prevent such a legal maneuver. The family’s court battle, though, is far from over.
Do you believe children should be taken from their parents for allegations of improperly administered medicine? Leave your reply in the section below: