ALICIA | TENNESSEE

“I’ve wanted to be a mother for as long as I can remember. After struggling with infertility for two years, my OBGYN referred me and my husband Matt to a fertility specialist. I began fertility enhancement medications and soon after became pregnant. We were ecstatic to find out we would soon be welcoming TWO bundles of joy to our family, twin boys.

Fast forward to when the twins were 6 weeks old: Matt was changing our son's onesie and heard a pop. Naturally, we were both concerned. At the time, we were visiting family in Tennessee for Christmas and New Years so we brought him to the closest children's hospital near their home to have him checked.

The children’s hospital ordered labs, full body skeletal surveys, and a CT scan. The x-rays revealed our son had a fractured humerus bone. The hospital said the injury was suspicious for non-accidental trauma and called in the Department of Children Services (DCS). As a social worker and mandatory reporter, I was understanding of this protocol and the need to investigate. DCS and the hospital staff asked to do an evaluation of our other twin son who was with us at the ER. We knew we had not and would never hurt our children, so we gave permission.

Our other twin’s x-rays and CT scan came back normal with no issues. We were told they would be admitting the twins overnight for observation and during this time we had to be supervised at all times with our babies.

The following day, the hospital discharged the twins back into our care. DCS came out to our families’ house where we were temporarily staying, and did a full walk through of the home. They said everything looked good and they would be in touch for a meeting the next day.

In the middle of the night, I received a call from the hospital saying that we had to bring one of our twins back because now, all of a sudden, another radiologist read the x-rays and saw healing/old fractures.

I asked every single question in the book. How had they completely missed this before? I inquired about abnormal lab results, potential birth injuries, and brittle bone diseases, but everything I asked was dismissed and was said to be only from non accidental means.

DCS came and took both my 6 week twin boys into foster care. It took 7 weeks before my parents were able to become licensed to have kinship care of the twins in Connecticut where our home was.

During this time, I pulled every medical record I could get my hands on including my prenatal records, birth records, well baby check ups, and all the records from the accusing hospital. I also reached out to the Family Justice Resource Center, an organization that was able to help me find medical experts to review the twins' medical records.

A geneticist evaluated me and both my twins for a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which we have all been diagnosed with. In addition, a pediatric orthopedist and a pediatric radiologist diagnosed both boys with having vitamin D deficiencies, with the effects of this deficiency being evident in their x-rays. The twins both also had low copper and ceruloplasmin levels which affect bone strength.

Despite having these diagnoses, the court systems continue to drag out the process for reuniting our family. It took not even 24 hours to take our children out of our custody, but it's been over a year of fighting to get them back.

The child abuse pediatrician (CAP) involved in our case has stated that these fractures could only be from abuse. During an appointment with this CAP, I gave her the twins’ family medical history including telling her that my uncle was born with rickets/vitamin D deficiency, which she completely brushed off. I realized later that this visit with the CAP was not meant for us to find answers, but to ‘seal the deal’ on keeping our twins in DCS custody.

The original judge who signed the order of temporary custody in our case has since been forced to step down from his role as judge and was arrested for money laundering, possession of a weapon during commission of a dangerous felony, conspiracy to possess with intent to sell or deliver drugs, and maintaining a dwelling for the sale or use of narcotics.

We go back to court in July to finally have our adjudication hearing where our experts can testify that we did not abuse our children. We will continue to fight for the truth in hopes that our children will soon come home.”