My name is Kevin and I am asking for help on behalf of my son and daughter-in-law. They are brand new parents who have been placed into an awful position. My son, who is in the Army, and his wife just had their first child in June of 2025. The birth was very difficult and resulted in a C-section delivery. After a few days of recovery, they were sent home with their new bundle of joy, Evan.

At the 5-day newborn follow-up, it was recommended that they have Evan checked out for a couple of genetic issues based on observable physiological structures. This included testing for Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Marfan syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Although concerning, it did not appear to require immediate follow-up, so my kids took to new parenting as many do, with a combination of joy and concern. With traditional medical checks, follow-ups, and learning experiences, all appeared to be going well.

At about the two-month mark, Evan had not had a bowel movement for a couple of days, and as new, helicopter parents, they took Evan to the doctor to see if everything was OK. The doctor did some tests and took an X-ray of Evan and found some healed fractured ribs on both sides. He explained what was found and advised taking Evan to St. Louis Children's Hospital for further examination and review. Trying to do the right thing, they drove 2 hours to St. Louis to see what could be done. Apparently, the doctor called ahead and told the hospital that he suspected child abuse. The hospital contacted protective services and had Evan removed from their custody immediately.

Now, I know the type of man my son is, but others may not, so I understand and respect wanting to ensure that a baby is not in a harmful environment. But speaking to doctors and protective personnel resulted in a group hive thought process to the point that they would not even answer questions that we raised. My wife went out to Missouri for moral support and to help as much as possible by taking FMLA from her job. Although no one in our family has ever had an experience like this, our kids, who are in their early 20s, were completely out of their element and had no idea what to do. My wife at least brought some wisdom to the table and helped try and bring understanding and perspective to everyone.

Ultimately, we have had to hire an attorney as we were getting completely stonewalled by hospital personnel regarding any information at all. My wife has been out there since mid-August and has gained temporary custody of our grandson while the process slowly grinds on. She initially stayed at a modest hotel but was advised that in order to maintain custody, she would have to be in a room that at least has a kitchen. She moved to an extended stay facility that qualified but costs $2200 per month to stay at (this is more than our mortgage). The attorney charged an additional $10,000 but has shown to be very knowledgeable. With his help, we received radiology reports stating that based on the healed state of the ribs, they could not determine that abuse was the root cause, especially since there was a traumatic childbirth that resulted in a C-section after hours being stuck in the birth canal and a dramatic drop in heart rate before the delivery method was switched over due to the complications.

We also wanted to have genetic testing done if there were any other underlying issues that may have contributed to the fractures. We have been told that they will not assist with genetic testing or look into any mitigating circumstances and there is nothing that will change their mind regarding the abuse allegation. I work 7 days a week but took off a weekend to drive a car down to Missouri so my wife had transportation and she could take Evan to his various appointments. We could not afford a rental car that would cost in excess of $1,000 per month. The state reunification personnel seem to have gained confidence in my son, his wife, and my wife over the past couple of months as they pursued and got authorized a 3-hour per day visitation and are even pushing to allow my wife to move in with my son. The process is slow and my wife is running out of FMLA.

Due to the costs involved, we have drained our savings, sold a vehicle, and have had to take out loans to cover costs. My son had to cash in his 401k to try and help as well. Although we are gathering more evidence to help support our case and learning quite a lot about medical dogmas, the slogging timeline is taking a huge financial and emotional toll. Sadly, we are up against a bureaucracy that does not care and has unlimited funds. Anything that can be spared, without causing hardship, would be a huge blessing! Thank you so much!