here is perhaps no area of the law that is taken more seriously than that of protecting the rights of the innocent. Within that umbrella are the rights of the less fortunate, the elderly, and of course, infants. Unfortunately, there are many “gray areas” associated with the “law” of parenting, which can lead to complex legal battles when it comes to how parents care for their children. Recently, the media has been a flurry in the Metro Atlanta area due to a “rash” of news stories covering child neglect, ineffective parenting, and criminal behavior toward children.
More recently, the media has been focused on one parent who was arrested and then lost custody of her newborn child after choosing to handle his weight issues holistically, against the advice of a doctor. What many parents view is simply a parenting choice, has resulted in a heated battle for motherhood for this woman. There is no question that this situation will be something of a precedent when other parents face similar issues.
According to local media outlets, the young mother lost custody of her 12-day old child after he purportedly lost approximately 10 percent of his body weight. A doctor encouraged the mother to take the child to the hospital, diagnosing him with “failure to thrive.” The mother, who is a Seventh Day Adventist, chose to follow her beliefs and treat the child holistically. As a vegan, the mother wanted to try supplementing breast milk with vegan formula before taking the child to the hospital.
While many doctors and other parents would agree that the mother acted within her rights to do what she considered was best for the child, the doctor evidently did not agree, and filed a child neglect report that led to the mother being arrested. Custody of the child was also temporarily awarded to his grandparents. Following the arrest, the mother was required to submit to psychological testing, drug evaluations, parenting classes and more, which all reportedly indicate that she is healthy and capable.
Until the recent court date, the mother had only been able to see her newborn son for supervised short visits. Last week, a judge threw out the claim that the mother was not fit to care for the child, and awarded her full custody of her son with the requirement that she submit a nutrition report. The grandparents of the child with temporary custody agree with the judge and are happy to have their family complete once again. Unfortunately, the criminal charges against the mother have not been dropped, even though the mother’s attorney feels that they should be, and in fact expects them to be, in light of the judge’s recent decision.
Get Help to Defend your Rights after an Arrest
No matter what the circumstances are surrounding an arrest, you need the help of an experienced Atlanta Criminal Defense Attorney to get the best outcome possible. While not every case will be as dramatic as this example provides, any case can present complexities and difficulties that have a significant effect on your life and wellbeing. To find out more about how best to fight the charges against you, call Abt Law Firm, LLC at (678) 582-2272 to set up a free consultation. Let our experienced, competent Atlanta Criminal Defense Attorney help you get results. We gladly represent clients throughout the state facing criminal charges. Our team is available 24/7, and is happy to set up your consultation over the telephone, in our office, or at the jail if you are incarcerated.