Officials seize sex offender's baby
Quote:
POTTSVILLE, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Child welfare authorities seized a newborn from a hospital Friday and placed the baby in a foster home because his father is a convicted sex offender.
A judge granted the mother supervised visitation rights but prohibited visits from the father.
"There's no happy ending in these things. It's what we think is the best interest of the children," said Gerard Campbell, executive director of Schuylkill County Children and Youth Services. The agency took custody of the baby over the mother's objections.
The baby was born Tuesday and the agency obtained an emergency court order Wednesday authorizing it to take the infant. Child welfare workers argued the infant boy's safety is in jeopardy because the father pleaded guilty to rape and sodomy two decades ago in New York. The agency also cited the mother's alleged history of drug abuse.
Another hearing is set for October 31.
"I think they're sending the message that if you or any member of your family screws up, you can kiss your parental rights goodbye," said American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Mary Catherine Roper, who represents the mother, Melissa WolfHawk.
WolfHawk, 31, declined to talk with reporters after a hearing before Common Pleas Judge Charles Miller.
The 53-year-old father, DaiShin WolfHawk, did not attend the hearing but said he was "just shocked" by the judge's decision.
"I thought I was living in America," he said
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This just seems wrong to me, I'm all for protecting children, and for removing them from the home when it's proven that the parents are not doing their job... but to remove a child for something the guy did 20 years ago... doesnt seem right. And as for the mother's 'history of drug abuse' .. was that 2 weeks ago, or 2 years ago...