DeSoto, Texas, mom wants newborn girl back after CPS takes her away in treatment dispute
All Temecia Jackson wants is her baby back.
The DeSoto woman and her husband alleges that Texas Child Protective Services took their infant from them based on wrong information and a dispute with their doctor on how to treat the baby’s jaundice. Now they are going to court to try and get her back.
“They removed my newborn baby from my arms and handed me paperwork,” Jackson told the Star-Telegram in an email. “I went to the police department and filed a police report that my child was stolen from me.”
Why CPS took DeSoto baby away
Mila Jackson was born at home with the help of a midwife on March 21. Six days later, the Jacksons took their infant to the doctor because they suspected the “slight yellowing in the baby” might be jaundice.
“While at the pediatrician we were told the levels are high and they will test blood and follow up,” the mother said in an email. “They followed up and said we need to admit baby into the hospital for light therapy immediately.”
The Jacksons said they wanted to do the therapy at home because they did not want their baby admitted to the hospital.
In the meantime, Dr. Anand Bhatt tried reaching out to the family. The Baylor Scott & White doctor wanted to tell the Jacksons their daughter, Mila, had jaundice with dangerously high levels of bilirubin — a yellowish substance made during the body’s normal process of breaking down old red blood cells — according to a WFFA report.
High levels of bilirubin can place infants at risk of brain damage, particularly in the presence of certain risk factors for severe jaundice, according to the Mayo Clinic. Infant jaundice usually occurs because a baby’s liver isn’t mature enough to get rid of bilirubin in the bloodstream.
According to the WFAA report, Dr. Bhatt told CPS, “I filed a case report with CPS after trying 10 attempts to appeal to the family through phone calls, text messages and leaving voicemails as they did not pick up the phone.”
Temecia, the baby’s mother, disputes the doctor’s assertion telling the Star-Telegram, “We followed up to let him know we will complete light care independently at home.”
But in a statement, CPS agreed with the doctor, “Due to the parents being unwilling to discuss the danger and potential consequences of this condition, it is necessary for the Department to intervene.”
‘My full name is Temecia Jackson’
On March 28, DeSoto police officers armed with a court order came to the Jackson’s home and took baby Mila away.
“I was not given any cards, contacts or phone numbers to know where my baby is being taken,” Temecia said.
Taking a closer look at the court order, Temecia said she saw the name listed as Mila’s mother was not her.
“My full name is Temecia Jackson. I do not know who (the name on the order) is,” she said in her email.
The Jacksons have since visited their baby in the hospital and are expected in court April 20.
