[Marisa957]

My month old son had rolled off the bed and hit the hard wood floor. I left the room when he was asleep to go to the bathroom and I heard something fallen and then I heard him crying so I rush out of the bathroom to the room and saw him on the floor. I pick him up and he was trying to go 2 sleep. Im a first time mom so I wanted to know if he was OK. I took him to the hospital they took a ct scan and the doctor came back and said he was OK. The doctor told me to stay in the hospital overnight so they can watch him to see if anything change. I stayed in the hospital for 3 days. The hospital had called DCFS on me and they came to the hospital. The first DCFS Investigator had came with a attitude asked me what happened so I told her. She said I was making things up. She left the room I was in with my son and she was talking to my son father and his grandmother. She told them my son didn't have any marks on his body if he really did hit the floor so she told them I was making things up to get attention. The day my son was suppose to leave the hospital another DCFS lady had came and said they were going to take my son and put him in the care of his grandmother because I was going to investigate how he falled. They told his grandmother they don't want me to be alone with him and if she want she can say if she want me to see him or not. After 2 days of not seeing my son the Investigator had came and took pictures of my bed room. The next day she came back with a caseworker and said I was going to get a letter in the mail saying the report is indicated that the incident of child abuse and/or neglect occurred the following acts/ omissions inadequate supervision occurred. They found evidence to support they claim. They said I have to take parents empowerment class and I have to seek mental help. They told my son father and his grandmother that I'm mentally unstable to take care of my son. They have no proof of that. I want to know did DCFS have the right to take my son from me and Do they have the right to say I have a mental problem?

[ScottGem]

Yes! The fact of the matter is, you left an infant unsupervised. You should have put him in a crib or something similar rather than just leave him on a bed, even for a couple of minutes.

I think there is more going on here then you have told us, but the hospital had the obligation to inform DCFS. DCFS had the obligation to investigate. You can't sue DCFS over this, but you can go to court to get your son back. You need to a) do everything that DCFS said to and b) get independent experts to testify as to your mental stability.

[J_9]

You are very lucky that your child was not injured, much less killed.

As a nurse in labor and delivery/nursery/postpartum, I know what the instructions the hospital gave you when you and your child were discharged from the hospital. That is a document you would have signed after the discharge teaching was completed. That discharge teaching includes, but is not limited to proper supervision of your infant, including not leaving him on a bed, couch, etc. without proper supervision. Infants of any age can roll over and fall off objects if there is no barrier to prevent them from doing so.

To be honest, DCFS was within their authority to remove your child from your home as this could be considered neglect.

How do you get him back? You follow the rules to a "T." You do whatever it is they say you have to do. If you have to take parenting classes, you do that. If they tell you to get "mental help," you do that.

If you don't follow their directions perfectly and pass all inspections and tests that are done, you very well may not get your child back.