26 September 2012

Baby taken by Queensland authorities six hours after birth

QUEENSLAND'S Child Safety Services is again under fire for storming into the Townsville Hospital to take away a baby from her parents six hours after birth. 
 
It is the second case of a baby being taken from parents at the hospital in the last three months.

In the latest case, the mother had just come out of surgery because of a complication with the birth when department officers - along with two security guards - took the baby away.

"I was about to breastfeed when they came storming in with two big security guards standing over me - I was heavily sedated, I had no idea what was going on - and this lady said, 'No you're not allowed to breastfeed'," the mother said.

The department took a baby away from another couple in similar fashion in July.

That baby was later handed back to the mother on condition she live in a separate residence to the father.


The latest parents to lose their baby, on Friday, say Child Safety Services had not warned the mother of any concerns it had during the pregnancy and the department has refused to tell them where their baby is.

The parents say the baby was taken away because of a domestic dispute last December.

"They made it pretty clear that there wasn't an option and they didn't tell us why," the father said.

"We haven't really slept or eaten anything in days now, it's just been terrible.

"We don't know where our daughter is.

"They won't tell us."

A spokesman for the department said he couldn't comment on the incident.

"Child Safety's primary concern is the safety of children," he said.

"On occasion mothers due to have their babies will be aware that the department has concerns for their unborn child.

"This may be because the department has been in contact with the mother about concerns raised by members of the public, or because the mother has other children in care."

Under law, a magistrate must grant a temporary assessment order and it is understood the department will front the Townsville Magistrates Court tomorrow to apply for an extension.

The father - who had his son taken away in July - said the department had not provided enough answers.

"It's pretty much torn our kids away and it's just torn the family apart for nothing," he said.

ACT For Kids executive director of programs Dr Katrina Lines said babies weren't taken away from parents without good reason.

"It must be something serious to take the baby away so soon," she said.

"We need legislation that puts the rights of children first but also gives the rights of parents to tell their side.

"All the department staff err on the safety of the child first. Hopefully the parents are having an opportunity to have a say."

heraldsun.com.au  25 Sep 2012

In situations where a child is from underprivileged parents, where the parents are not able to fight back, cases have existed from the 1960's and still going on to this day, where the children are taken away either permanently and experimented on, or taken away for a brief period of time, injected with substances and monitored.

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