Home-Birthed Babies Taken Away From Parents For Not Using Hospital
This story is breaking all over the place and most news groups are already behind on such a gross government overstepping on the rights of parents.
Cleave and Erica Rengo chose to birth their twins at their home rather than go to the hospital. Erica, who was also born at home herself and whose mother was a home-birth educator, chose a birth-center with the birth of their first baby, but decided to birth at home the second time.
After what Erica described as “exquisite” and “empowering” birth, the couple contacted local paramedics who arrived at the house to find the babies nursing at the breasts of their mother and, and the paramedics verified that both the twins and their mother were fine. The paramedics allegedly recommended that they go to the hospital for evaluation, which is standard procedure for EMTs.
According to Health Impact News, The Rengos said they declined, telling them they didn’t want to expose their newborns to the dirty environment of the hospital. They were planning to follow other recommendations of keeping their newborns home for the first six weeks of life, to give their immune systems the opportunity to build up.
Because they chose not to go to the hospital at that time, the paramedics allegedly called CPS who showed up at the home of the Rengo’s the next day wanting to see all of the children. CPS told Erica that they were “here to help.” But Erica says that is not at all what happened.
The social worker found Levi had some eczema on his skin, as many babies do, and Erica told her that she was treating it with some topical herbal remedies and that Levi was responding well. The social worker was critical of Erica for not treating his eczema with steroids, something Erica considered a last resort because of the side effects. The Rengos agreed to take the children to a pediatrician, who confirmed the twins were doing fine but advised that Erica add formula to supplement her own milk because of the babies slow weight gain. Erica agreed and the babies each got back on track with gaining weight. This was allegedly verified by a nurse sent out by CPS.
Child Protection Services Comes For Her Children
On November 6, CPS arrived at the Rengos’ home. When Erica answered the door, CPS told her that they were there to take her children, citing neglect for refusing to give Levi steroids for his eczema, and the home-birth without medical prenatal care with the twins, as well as allegations of abuse. As a matter of fact we will point out that Erica had received prenatal care, just not with a medical doctor.
The frightened mother fled out the back door with her children to a neighbor’s house, but police and CPS “hunted her down,” and took all three babies from their mothers’ arms. The twins were 5 weeks old and her other child was 10 months old.
In an interview with Health Impact News, we’re told that Erica “broke down into sobs,” saying, “My children were safe and healthy with me.”
Since the children have been placed in the custody of CPS, one of the twins, Daniel, has reportedly had pneumonia, and Levi has reportedly been diagnosed with “behavioral problems” because he screams and cries all the time.
He is screaming, Erica told Health Impact News, “because he wants his mom and dad.”
It is disturbing that parental rights are being trampled on in this way and that having a birth at home and using treatments the CPS disagrees with are considered cause for taking children away from their parents. The next time your child gets a cold you best watch out, because if you treat them with a cough drop that has fallen out of the graces of the CPS or someone in the medical industry or, heaven forbid, give them something far more effective than the medical industry’s drugs – like Vitamin D – the CPS might come knocking on your door and demanding you give your children up to them. This is truly a government overstep and parents everywhere should be outraged.
The most recent news on this is that the attorney for the Rengo family has said to the court that the CPS and/or state should charge the parents specifically or give their children back to them. The hearing is in its third day and continues today. According to KGMI, the court could decide the case Friday morning. We will be updating this section as events unfold.
