A child makes a mom or a dad. Our child is our essence, extension of our own being and no matter what we do we cannot, but love it unconditionally. This why I was so shocked to read the news of a two-month child being ill-treated by new parents, so much so that the authorities had to put the child in foster care.
A two-month-old son of an Indian couple that works with Tata Consultancy Services has been placed in foster care by US child welfare officials after he was admitted to a local hospital with head injuries in New Jersey.
The son of Ashish Pareek, an employee of Tata Consultancy Services and resident of Jersey City, had apparently slipped from his motherās hand and hit his head on a TV stand before falling hard on the floor, according to his family.
The baby was immediately rushed to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with serious internal injuries to his head.
After initial treatment, the hospital transferred the baby, Ashvid, to another hospital where doctors reported the case to Department of Child Projection and Permanency (DCPP).
Local authorities had said that the child suffered from āShaken Baby Syndromeā and had not agreed with the parentsā version that the little boy had hurt himself when he fell off the bed while playing.
The New Jersey DCPP had said that the parents neglected to take proper care of their child.
The parents have said that it was an accident and deny claims by US authorities that they had tried to harm the child, according to Pareekās family. Pareekās wife Vidisha delivered the baby in October. They have been living in the US since August. The Indian Consulate is in contact with authorities as well as the childās parents but said legal procedures will have to be followed in the case since it has gone to court.
What is your take? Do you think these parents were actually abusing the child or was it a genuine mistake?
I remember as a first time parent, I have committed a few mistakes myself and I am sure so have you. My 5 month old son started rolling off the bed and would fall a hurt himself, no matter how much I tried to fortify my 6 feet wide king bed. Every time he fell, I used to cry and my heart used to crush and while I was still wracking my brains on how to solve this, one day I saw him just pausing, when he reached the end of the bed and then slowly trying to climb down, till he actually managed to plant his feet down and almost stand while holding the bed. At the tender age of 5 months, he could stand and he had learnt his first lesson of survival. After reading this news I can’t help but wonder, had I been in the US, maybe by now, I would be behind the bars for not being able to tend to my child’s need, while I was just clueless on how to help my child out in this position.
It was probably a genuine mistake where the child slipped out of the parents hands. When you are a new parent, you are clueless about multiple things, how many times to feed the baby ( does that make you wanting to starve it?) or should I use a diaper of a cloth nappy (does that make you less informed or just on a lookout for better choice?). Learning to hold a new baby in the right way is also quite a task. I have friends who cringe from holding a new-born as they are scared they might not be able to handle it, some don’t even know how to support the neck while holding the baby. Let’s give these poor parents a benefit of doubt. It takes a monster to abuse a two month old child of their own and they don’t look like monsters to me.
If you also feel for the child and his parents, which I do, do sign this petition and help them get back their baby.
Heena Dhedhi says
I totally agree that first time parents make mistakes. But if you read your own post, these are two explanations for the incident, and that will have any authority cautious. Having said that I honestly don’t know…
Prerna Sinha says
Heena, I have reported what the news clip said. But also held my own views in favour of the parents.
Sneha Rane says
I think this must’ve been a genuine mistake. But the US authorities are just doing their work I guess. Things like these do look suspicious sometimes. I hope they get their baby back soon š
Prerna Sinha says
I totally support that theory
ROBERT LEE says
Personally, I have no comment, on which version to believe. That being said, there is a system in the USA and assuming that the version of the parents’ were true, then it is a horrible experience to be separated from their baby. The price a few have to pay for cases when the state was proven right.
Riley says
These kinds of situations break my heart! Only God knows what actually happened. We can all just pray that he sees the right solution is found.
Joy Priginal says
Hope this little angel can find his way back home. He deserves his family!
Georgia says
In the UK there were a lot of cases of children as young as this, 2 months, being neglected and abused and some did not survive and it was done by their own parents! The child services in the UK have been criticised for not checking up on vulnerable people so it’s good to see that the US child protection have taken this seriously! I know that this course aren’t vulnerable people and this could be just a mistake as a new parent but better to be safe and the child be out of harms way than end up in a much worse situation where someone loses their life. As a first time parent I completely understand how scary it is when something happens to your child. A few months ago my daughter climbed on a chair and tipped it back, she fell flat on her face and had a golf ball sized lump on her forehead, I was devastated because I looked away for 20 seconds and it happened, I thought I’d failed but we’ve learnt from it and so has my 2 year old!
Alaine says
I feel sorry for this little angel. If the government decides that his parents are not capable of raising a baby, I hope someone with a genuine heart will be more than willing to adopt this little angel.
charu says
When I was three years old I fell off for on the third floor of our house in an unavoidable accident. Yet I grew up knowing that my parents love me like hell and this was not their fault.
In Amercia they would have never got a second chance. But having said that Prerna if the medical representative does diagnose a the shaken baby syndrome and can back it up then what?
Joanna says
Unfortunately there are parents that will hurt their children. There was a recent case with a Romanian family that was taken all 5 children by the Norwegian authorities because they used to beat them. In Romania there are a lot of parents that beat their children to discipline them, we even have a saying “beating is ripped from heaven”, while Norway doesn’t even accept a slap. I suppose only the parents know what happened there.
Roselle Carlos-Toledo says
Having a new baby is both a source of happiness and stress. My 4-month old nephew got rashes one day after bathing and we panicked and rushed him right away to the hospital. Most of us are really clueless and on the learning stage still in taking care of a baby.
Madz says
I agree that newbie parents make mistakes.I hope that they investigate further so they can find out what really happened.I feel for the parents.It must be tough to be in their shoes.
Capers Rouge says
Great initiative, very well appreciated! Being a Daughter I can now understand what all parents do for us.
travelingmind2anywhere says
Shaken Baby Syndrome – i feel sorry for the baby if this is indeed true, but we never knew what really happened. It could be just the carelessness of the parents.
Bidy says
Wow, this is a tough situation with no easy answer. Having been raised in NJ and raised my children in NJ I know they are often OVERLY cautious depending on the case worker assigned to the situation. As much as I hate for anyone to go through a situation like this when falsely accused I often look at it from the other side. Not saying that they are guilty but think of all the children they are able to protect by being thorough in their investigations. I was in the end thankful for such a system in my area. It is devastating to be separated from your child for any reason. i hope they are able to address this situation quickly and thoroughly. Becoming a parent does not mean you immediately know how to do everything, nor bless you with the ability to do it ALL.
Bidy
http://www.dearlittlerme.com
Dunja says
We’ll never know what and how it actually happened. That happens all the time, and it’s horrible. In my country one upsetting story was all over the news: one little boy is in hospital for more than a year because he has a lot of heath problems and his parents haven’t visited him, not even ONCE. Some people say it’s because they’re too poor to buy a bus ticket / drive to hospital, some are saying that’s pure neglection. Who’ll know? Either way, it’s heartbreaking.
Elle Mystique says
Aww, this is quite heartbreaking on both side. I cannot say as with whom will I believe but i do pray for the truth to prevail. If parents were really abusing him/her, the baby will suffer too much. But if it’s not true, then baby should be given back to the parents because it’s really hard on the parent’s side for their baby to be taken away from them..
Airina Desuyo says
This is a very unfortunate tale. It breaks my heart to know that some very young kids are separated from their parents
airinaapril.blogspot.com
Nicole says
Oh my G! This breaks my heart.. I hope this little angel is fine wherever she is now
Prerna Sinha says
I hope so, will keep you updated
Swayam Tiwari says
It is a cliche that child is a representative of God.I hope, it reunites with its parents.Om shantih om