MS DHS took nursing baby because mother doesn't speak English

[sapphire_chan]

Is there anything we can do to help?
http://www.time.com/time/nation/arti...918941,00.html

If this process goes on long enough she's going to lose her milk supply and it's clear from DHS's remarks that they don't value breastfeeding.

I wonder if the Mississippi health dept. knows that DHS has done this to a nursing mama? The health dept.'s website certainly seems very pro-breastfeeding.

[Amatullah0]

:

[elanorh]

It says she gave birth last November, so her milk supply is no longer an issue, unfortunately, except in retrospect and for DHS to coordinate better in the future.

It sounds like a terrible travesty of justice.

[evlu]

Outrageous.

And I love this gem from DHS: "The social-services translator also reported that Baltazar Cruz had put Rubí in danger because she 'had not brought a cradle, clothes or baby formula.'" Because you can't possibly feed your child without formula. :

[Tine]

I'm glad the Time article mentioned why mama had no cradle or formula. I mean, it's obvious and shouldn't need to be explained...but some people can be really stupid.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by elanorh

It says she gave birth last November,...

Oh.
I missed that.

[luv-my-boys]

omgosh that is horrible. Im truly praying that she at the very least gets her baby back, whether that be here or back in mexico. Its just shocking that people would think its ok just because she can not speak their language that she is "unfit"

[youngnhappymamma]

Wow....that is so horrible!! Poor mama and baby! And those other cases they cited .....geez! I think it's made even worse if they deport the mom back to the way below poverty circumstances since they've totally ruined their breastfeeding relationship and then the mom is expected to be able to provide her baby with formula and clean water to mix the formula....that is just so sad and wrong. I really hope this gets plenty of media attention and nothing like this happens again. People can be so closed minded!

[everything to one]

Originally Posted by evlu

Outrageous.

And I love this gem from DHS: "The social-services translator also reported that Baltazar Cruz had put Rubí in danger because she 'had not brought a cradle, clothes or baby formula.'" Because you can't possibly feed your child without formula. :

you dont need formula or a cradle! what in the world. my prayers are with her!

[krystyn33]

What an outrage! My heart breaks for this mama and I hope her baby is returned soon.

[Belle]

I don't see the article.

ETA: nevermind, I found it after a bit of searching. Outrageous! So she's got a court date in November and her baby has been away from her for this whole year while she haggles with the court and DHS? What is wrong with people? Why would they do this to a mother and child? Its certainly not in the child's best interest.

[Beckamomof4]

I can't find it, can someone post the article link please

[Jenivere]

http://www.time.com/time/nation/arti...918941,00.html

[Beckamomof4]

That just brings me to the home page?? I think the site is cutting off the link...maybe if you use the link insert thing?

[sapphire_chan]

http://search.time.com/results.html?...t=Full+Archive

Second article.

The link thing results in the same link. It still clicks to the homepage.

However, copy paste without the space into your browser and it'll come up.
www. time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1918941,00.html

[filiadeluna]

Wow. That is disgusting. And she apparently HAS to know how to call an ambulance, because giving birth is always an emergency? Wouldn't they have a translator if she *did* have to call?

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by filiadeluna

Wow. That is disgusting. And she apparently HAS to know how to call an ambulance, because giving birth is always an emergency? Wouldn't they have a translator if she *did* have to call?

Apparently not, since the courts, with time to prepare, couldn't even find someone who spoke the same dialect of Spanish she spoke let alone her birth language.

Of course, if the hospital couldn't understand her, then how did they know she didn't have formula and a crib?

[rlmueller]

Translator

I think the article said she had provided someone who could translate for her but it was refused?

[elanorh]

She had a relative who could have translated at the hospital but they turned (him?) away and used their own translator who's the one who turned her in to CPS in part - he didn't understand her at all.

I don't recall the court's ability or not to find a translator, but given how isolated the regional language she has is, it's entirely possible that they couldn't find anyone in the area (who wasn't a relative of hers ) who could translate for them.

On an anthropological aside - the other travesty here is that her dd is growing up speaking English only - her mother speaks an endangered dialect, and her child is not learning it. It's not too late, but it will be more difficult for her to learn and apply some of the specific small linguistic things which make this language special.

[MommaKitten21]

Wow seriously?!?! This brought me to tears.

Who in their right mind honestly thinks this is okay?!?!!!?