State's High Court To Decide If Mom Can Regain Custody Of Son,
3 Authorities took Angela Williams' son, identified in court records as "C.W.", from her in June 2003 when he was just three days old. Child protective services had determined that the infant, who was born with a cleft palate and unnamed health problems, needed special feeding and treatment. They also determined that Williams, who has bipolar disorder and cerebral palsy, was unable to take care of the child. Williams says that she has since sought treatment for her mental illness, has completed parenting classes, and is now ready and able to take care of her son. Social services officials argue that she has not 'bonded' with the boy during supervised visits, among other things. In briefs to the court, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri noted that the parental rights of many people with disabilities are often revoked improperly because of negative stereotypes. The groups argued that services should have been provided to support Williams in her parenting efforts, and that the court should look at Williams' current ability to parent the boy rather than out-dated assessments. A decision is not expected for several weeks, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Related: --- Reproduced here under special arrangement
with Inclusion Daily Express international disability rights news service. |
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