“I would not wish this on any mother,” the plaintiff said. “And so we are absolutely hoping that with this lawsuit that DFPS will make changes so that mothers, husbands, fathers, families behind us will not have to deal with this.”
A Texas family has filed a lawsuit against the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services, claiming that officials seized their newborn baby for more than three weeks.
According to The Texas Tribune, the state’s investigation into Temecia and Rodnney Jackson was prompted by concerns shared by the family’s pediatrician. In their report to child protective services, the doctor shared concerns that the Jackson family would be unable to care for their newborn child, Mila, who had developed either jaundice or a jaundice-like condition.
The pediatrician’s complaints largely related to the family’s decision to use a midwife for treatment instead of taking Mila to a hospital.
The Jackson family is now suing the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, saying it enforces policies that are unlawful and unconstitutional.
“At no point in my life and my motherhood did I ever think that this could have happened,” Temecia Jackson said. “It’s never going to be fully over for us. She was taken from us for pretty much her first month of life. But we are definitely looking forward to at least holding DFPS accountable in some way.”
State officials returned Mila to her parents after about three weeks, during which time she was placed in foster care.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing the Jacksons in the lawsuit, noted that DFPS initiated its investigation without holding a hearing, then issued a formal designation stating that it had “reason to believe” that Mila’s parents were neglectful.
This designation, notes the Texas Tribune, resulted in Temecia and Rodney Jackson both being listed in a state registry of persons accused of either abuse or neglect.
The Jacksons say they are afraid the accusations could impact their ability to continue volunteering with their older sons’ sports teams.
“They have to do background checks, and so when it was time to redo our annual check for me to a volunteer at their school, I feared them pulling that record up and saying that I had this designation from CPS,” Temecia Jackson said.
Temecia also emphasized that she now has a “heightened” attachment with her daughter, which makes it difficult for her to let Mila out of her sight or let relatives and family friends act as baby-sitters.
“I would not wish this on any mother,” she said. “And so we are absolutely hoping that with this lawsuit that DFPS will make changes so that mothers, husbands, fathers, families behind us will not have to deal with this.”
Sources
ACLU of Texas Sues DFPS Following the Forcible Removal of Newborn From Dallas Couple
CPS took a Texas newborn for three weeks. Now the family is suing.
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