In a situation that many California parents might relate to, a man was kept him from his daughter for months while the family searched for answers for why he was charged with second-degree harm to a child, a felony offense. The Dallas father had taken the baby to a local medical center for treatment because he heard a pop when he was changing her diaper. Medical personnel performed X-rays and found that the child had multiple fractures.
After he was charged with the crime, the father was only allowed to spend time with his child during supervised visits. He and his wife said that they had two independent tests done, and the results were the same as the original diagnosis from the medical center. The family also reached out to a local news station for help.
They were eventually put into contact with another family that had once been in a similar situation. That family lost custody of their children; however, their rights were restored after their twin daughters were found to have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a common, yet often unheard of, condition that can cause the body’s structure to be fragile. The administrators the Ehler’s Danlos Foundation asked parents on their social networking page how many had been accused of harming their child unjustly. There were several “yes” responses from parents around the country.
Healthcare providers are required to report suspicion of child abuse in California. Families who are dealing with a similar issue could hire a criminal defense attorney to help argue the case in court. Thoroughly researching all medical conditions that could possibly be causing the symptoms of abuse may lead to a favorable court decision for the family.
Source: WFAA, “Rare bone disease leads to bogus child abuse allegations”, Janet St. James, November 15, 2013
