Speaking of the terrible, senseless things people do ... Sometime ago D told me a story about a baby who had been severely abused. This baby, at two months old need to be care flighted to a more sophisticated hospital because of the severity of her injuries. She had broken ribs, broken legs, head contusions and two occasions of bleeding on the brain just to start. She was experiencing convulsions because of her head injuries, and I'm sure there were far more things wrong with that tiny baby that I didn't hear about.
No matter how frustrating a newborn can be- what kind of monster would hurt a baby like that? If you don't want to deal with a baby- give it away- it's that easy. That's what those "safe place" signs are all about.
That baby has been in protective care for the past 7+ months. I heard more of the story yesterday. The parents are a young couple. The couple was living in a house with the mother's parents and one other family member. The grandparents were caring for the baby. The parents were both working or otherwise away from the baby on a regular basis.
When the baby stopped breathing because of the seizures the parents took her to the ER. At the ER the assessment was that she needed more sophisticated care than could be given at that ER. She was care flighted to a bigger facility. At the bigger hospital the doctors immediately recognized abuse and called CPS. CPS took custody of the baby and she has been in foster care since that time.
The young couple maintains that they were not the abusers, and suspect it was the grandparents, or possibly this other unnamed family member. CPS only knows that the parents should be responsible, and that there is no proof they didn't do the abuse, or at least know about the abuse. Its a "he said-she said" situation.
The attorney of the young couple suggested that if they broke up the mother would have a much better change of getting the baby back, because blame would slide to the father of the child. The young woman refuses to take this advice, being sure both she and her boyfriend are innocent. The grandparents are suing for custody of the baby- the young mother insists that she would rather see that baby anywhere else than with her parents.
The young couple has been advised to find an adoptive home for the baby or CPS will take the baby permanently.
The person telling us this story is the great aunt of the baby. She is looking forward to her own children graduating from university and retiring from her job in the coming years. She confesses that she is from a family of drama- she is the logical-rational-determined one who got out of the family business of trouble and drama. She's the only one to go to university- to work her way to the top of her field. She's the one they asked to take the baby.
She's not unkind, but she just isn't in a place to take a baby in. She raised her kids alone- she has her own medical issues- she's busy at work. She has her life. She doesn't want a baby.
When we heard this story D and I both said, "We do. We want a baby. We're ready- we've got all the stuff for girls."
Our story teller said, "This baby might be special needs after the abuses she suffered."
I said, "When you have a baby, you don't know what you're going to get- taking this baby would be just like having one- we would take her as she was, and help her to be her best."
She said, "What would you think about letting the parents see her?" She thought they were telling the truth, and they really were not the abusers.
I said, "I'm sure that would be court mandated, but I wouldn't be opposed to supervised visits and seeing what happens from there."
She said, "I think you guys are crazy- are you serious? If you are serious I'll tell the parents."
We said we were serious.
If that baby came to us- it would only be God giving her to us.
I told D before we got married that I would be interested in adopting- I just don't know the logistics of the whole thing.
God doesn't always deal in logistics.
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