Mother sues over seizure of son

A young mother is suing police and the island’s child protection agency for allegedly seizing her son unlawfully as she was about to board a flight with him to escape her abusive boyfriend.

The woman, who was heading to a new life in the United States, claims two police officers held her arms at the departure lounge at LF Wade International Airport on February 25 before her three-year-old child was taken from her lap.

The boy was placed into foster care for almost three weeks, during which time she only saw him twice, before being returned to her.

The woman told The Royal Gazette the experience was hugely traumatic for both of them and she regretted ever calling the police to report her boyfriend, because that led to the involvement of the Department of Child and Family Services and the removal of her son from her care.

She said: “I would never call the police again, never. They [police and the DCFS] treated me like a criminal.” Her lawyer, Victoria Greening, said there were never any concerns raised about the woman’s parenting and claimed the removal of the boy was a “total abuse of power”.

Read more on The Royal Gazette