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Justice for Baby 'H', Family and Nations

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The Downey and Polkinghorne family
 experienced one of the worst situations; during what is supposed to be a joyful event, was brazenly interrupted by employees of British Columbia's Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) trying to take 90 minute old "Baby H", based on a malicious report citing neglect.

"They were shocked,” said the paternal grandfather, who questions how one could be labelled neglectful and have someone issue a birth alert to apprehend in just 90 minutes. “Luckily the (maternal) grandmother was there and she held them off, at least for a while.”

Two days later, on June 14, social workers came back, reportedly two hours late for a meeting that had been scheduled with the family. But the mother was asleep from a sedative medical staff had administered. When she awoke she learned her newborn was gone."B.C. CFS moves in to seize 90-minute-old baby on report of neglect 

‘Baby H’ taken again as living arrangement collapses

"The paternal grandfather was against the plan imposed by MFCD from the beginning. He feels the parents have done nothing wrong and MCFD has no business forcing adults to live with a parent in order to look after their child, and that the ministry is being meddlesome and arbitrary."

MCFD reviewing birth alert system; review follows Indigenous newborn being seized in Kamloops

"The Ministry of Children and Family Development is now looking into its processes for its birth alert system.The review comes after an Indigenous newborn, called Baby H, was seized two days after being born at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, although the ministry did not link the incident to the review."

Baby H is in her fifth foster home and family services has stopped communicating with family says grandfather 

"Baby H, the B.C. infant who was seized from hospital after medical staff reported her mother was neglecting her 90 minutes after having a C-section is back in a stranger’s care after her aunt asked for a break. The child, who is now five weeks old, hasn’t lived with her parents in that time and has been bounced from foster home to foster home to an aunt and now to another non-Indigenous foster home, says the grandfather. “Not sure if she is with the same people or not. Could be her sixth (home),” said the frustrated granddad."

FUNDING
 
Transportation: Funds to travel to Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and legal meetings, food and any related costs.

Discretionary Costs: Associated costs to family's needs ( basic needs, housing, purchase of baby clothes, formula, etc.)

Legal:
Legal Representation for the immediate return of Baby 'H'. Legal avenues to hold Ministry of Children and Family Development accountable.


➡I am given the authority to post on behalf of the Downey/Polkinghorn family
➡Updates will be posted as per discussion with the Downey/Polkinghorne family


Organizer

Secwépemc Nation
Organizer
Williams Lake, BC

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