UK: Couple flee to save their unborn baby from social workers('she's not bright enough 2B a parent')

The Daily Mail (U.K.) / various ^ | November 7, 2009 | Alison Smith Squire

[Stoat]

A heavily pregnant woman and her fiance have gone on the run after social workers threatened to take away their baby at birth.

Kerry Robertson, 17, and Mark McDougall, 25, had been told that she was not bright enough to raise their child and that they would have to give him up.

It was another blow for the couple, whose wedding this year was halted just 48 hours before the ceremony in a row over whether Miss Robertson was intelligent enough to marry.
 

Miss Robertson, who is 29 weeks pregnant, has since been told the couple will be allowed only a few hours with their baby - a boy they have already named Ben - before he is taken into care and placed with foster parents.

Desperate to keep their family together, the pair fled their home yesterday for a secret safe house.

(edit)

A family law expert said: 'If Miss Robertson gave birth in Fife and then fled with the baby, after the local authority had got a care order, she would be liable for child abduction.

'But by fleeing while pregnant, Miss Robertson has not broken any law, as far as I'm aware.

'If she has her baby outside the jurisdiction of Fife council, they no longer have any power to take the child into care.

'Rather, they would have to locate her and alert the relevant council who would have to apply for a removal order themselves.'


 

 

 

[Stoat]

My apologies for the severe editing of this article....this was done in order to remain in compliance with Free Republic rules pertaining to articles from the UK Daily Mail.  Please click on the main article link to see the full story.

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Also:

Social services 'to take baby from teenager deemed too stupid to marry' - Telegraph

not-bright-enough-to-wed-girl-s-baby-to-be-snatched-from-her-Daily Mirror

Teen_Not_Bright_Enough_to_Keep_Baby_Fox News Phoenix

 

[Stoat]

ping

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Coming soon to the U.S., homeschoolers too.

[JimWayne]

The baby will be taken and given to a “same sex couple” since that is what is in the best interests of the child.

[carjic]

If being bright enough was a requirement, that would take out 90 % of parents. Maybe even me...

[GeronL]

Half the country is insane and they pick on this poor couple

[Graybeard58]

If being bright enough was a requirement, that would take out 90 % of parents. Maybe even me

Too late for them to bar me from parenthood. Maybe they'd say I am not bright enough to have any more great grand kids.

[alexander_busek]

I've read one of the hyperlinked articles, which mentions only a "mild learning disability," as well as the accusation that the girl was allegedly unable to grasp the actual meaning of the term "marriage," but it is useless to debate the pros and cons of this case until some clinical evidence (read: I.Q test results) are published.

Unless this girl is truly a moron (I.Q. of less than 90) or worse and/or there are other circumstances involved here (e.g., a history of very irresponsible / criminal behavior), it would indeed be a miscarriage of justice to deprive her of her offspring in this fashion.

Regards,

[inpajamas]

I would venture to say that if you are a social worker these days, you are not bright enough to be one.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I know some brilliant women who are terrible mothers, and some less intelligent womwn who are doing a wonderful job.

[NotSoModerate]

Maybe they should just sterilize the entire “dumb” female population in England. That way they could cut back on paying social worker salaries.

[autumnraine]

In the UK, you can be considered too dumb to be a mom. In the UK you can be considered a pedophile and watch your children play on a playground from behind a fence.

Sharia Law when dads want to kill thier kids for listening to rock and roll? No problem. It’s just their ‘culture’.

[skr]

They should have spelled it Fief, since they’re acting like the lord and master of those who live in the district.

[Starchoice]

IQ less than 90? A big percent of people have an IQ under 90. I wonder what this girl’s IQ score is.

[inpajamas]

I guess they should gather up all of the kittens and puppies in the UK also.

[Jaidyn]

I would venture to say that if you are a social worker these days, you are not bright enough to be one.

I was a social worker, and hope you don't mean what you said. I do not know of any social workers who have stooped to this level. Just the opposite is true; social workers go beyond the call of duty to keep families together. They give these kinds of women nurturing classes, and so forth. They always lean towards giving the mother a chance, and most often, these mothers pull through, or are honest enough to admit they can't handle the situation. Then, there are those mothers who have an average IQ, but no common sense, or ability to bond, who are the real dangers to their children. This woman seems to have the qualifications to be a mother.

[Kirkwood]

Nonsense. Anyone within 2 standard deviations of the mean is considered to be of normal intelligence.

[toomuchcoffee]

She needs to become a crack whore. The CPS usually lets them have all the kids they can. No problem.

[Adventure gal]

She may be dumb, but it seems like she and her husband outsmarted the officials by fleeing before the baby was born

[carjic]

Hell i thougt I was old. I only am up to 6 grandkids. No Great!