After experiencing our first high-risk pregnancy with our daughter, we were ready and prepared to face the difficulties of high-risk pregnancy with our son the moment we found out we were expecting. We had our baby girl and now we were excited for our baby boy’s arrival into our family. We gave birth to our beautiful baby boy late January of 2024. We were more than fulfilled with joy to have had accomplished yet another birth in addition to our growing family. We enjoyed every moment with our babies. In April, we’d sought care for our son when during a diaper change, concerns rose around a possible leg injury. We had no clue that seeking medical care for our son would be the beginning of our living nightmare. We had no clue that we would only have had 2 months with our baby boy and 2 more months with our precious baby girl before they would be ripped away from us.
One day after acknowledging what could possibly be a leg injury, we’d taken our son to the hospital seeking treatment. Upon seeking treatment, we were informed that our child had a leg injury along with a few rib fractures. We were beyond worried and filled with concerns. After repeatedly asking to speak again with the orthopedic doctor to address our concerns and questions, we were told that he makes his rounds and would be coming by early that morning. We waited and waited and continued to ask to speak with him but he never came. Instead, we were confronted by DFCS stating there were multiple fractures, in various stages of healing all over our son’s body. Our hearts broke. Our son had never shown any signs of pain or discomfort before the mentioned diaper change and was said to be healthy at pediatrician visits. This was an extremely heartbreaking shock to us. We’d previously spoken to the orthopedic doctor who’d reviewed our son’s x-rays and he did not mention anywhere near the number of fractures DFCS were telling us. We were filled with so much concern, heartbreak, and confusion. It was later that day we’d received notice from DFCS that we were being accused of child abuse.
We were told that a child abuse pediatrician would be by our son’s room to speak with us. When the said child abuse pediatrician spoke with us, he’d went over the “findings” as well as our son’s recent lab reports. We were told that our son had a few abnormal lab results, one including Vitamin D deficiency. The child abuse pediatrician did not go into detail regarding the labs but had only mentioned them and followed up by telling us that although there were abnormal findings in the labs, the abnormal results found have nothing to do with the fractures.
It was not until we requested the labs from the nurse, and fought to receive the requested labs did we know our son had an extreme vitamin D deficiency, which today is a leading cause of bone fragility in infants.
Recalling the child abuse pediatrician brushing our son’s lab results off and immediately accusing us of child abuse caused many more questions and concerns. Instead of acknowledging our son’s deficiencies related to the said injuries, we were being accused of a heinous crime.
We were still in the hospital with our son when my mother called hysterically crying stating that DFCS was at our home to take our baby girl away from her. We were then made aware by our mother’s FaceTime call that custody of our children had been temporarily taken from us, our daughter would be taken from our mother’s care, we would be escorted out of the hospital where our son would be left alone without his parents and our children would be placed in foster care.
We were in disbelief of what was happening and the family we’d always dreamed of having was now being torn apart. Never in our lives did we think anything like this would ever happen to us, but we are now one of many experiencing the abuse of DFCS.
We are still fighting to prove our innocence against the corrupt systems and bring our babies back home. We are working with our attorney as well as medical specialist to fight for our family’s reunification.
We know that God is working on our behalf and that this horror story will one day be a testimony.
We ask that you all keep our family in your prayers and help us shed light on the corruption of the system. If you are able and willing to donate to help cover legal fees, ways of donations will be attached. We appreciate you all for your support and love during this traumatic time.
“If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 8:31
“For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”
Isaiah 41:13
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
Organizer
Kaliyah Chism
Organizer
Villa Rica, GA