Submitted by markeshia

Here is my story,

It was August of 95 I was about to turn 16,I'll never forget how nervous I was when my doctor came back into the room.She sat down and asked me if I wanted to know the out come of the pregnacy test I had taken.At first I didn't wanna know and said no,but then I changed my mind and told her yes please tell me.

She said that I was going to be a mother!Me going to be a mother at the age of 16!For a brief moment in time I was upset at myself for not using protection,but then I became over joyed at what was going on inside of me at that very moment.

Now the only thing was how to tell mom and dad not only was I expecting but that I was keeping my baby.So I told my mom first and she was livid at first them she told me tell your father.So I did and he gave me that look that every dad gives his baby girl when she tells him that she is expecting.

As time goes on I begin to feel the baby move inside and wonder what he will look like,will he have his father's eyes,my hair and anything else that crossed my mind.I could not have been more excited.

I had my son on April 28th 1996 at 9:30 am!! I could have not been any happier then to have my baby that I waited 9 long moths for.He was amazing to me his perfect little body.I was extremly grateful for what god have given me.I quit school since all I could think about was him and what he was doing.I know it was wrong for me to quit school but I could not concertrate on school with my son away from me that long.
With my mother on drugs who would be there to stop me from staying with my baby everyday all day?I took on the responsibility of taking care of me,my son,and my little brother.I made sure that we had food and clean clothes.

My son was truning into quite the little butterball.He was always smiling even when he had poop up his back and down his legs from one of his blow outs.When I took him to the doctor for his check ups everyone from the nurses to the other parents with children said how handsome and happy he looked.He would just smile and snuggle in my neck.

So one day a dhs worker shows up at our home and says that he has gotten a report that we don't have heat,and electric.He says that me,my son and my brother have to leave the home and stay with our grandmother.

So we go and stay with her there is no room for our clothes and baby supplies.So me being the one who has always taken care of my brother.I go back to the house to get some clothes from the young ones.I didn't care about my clothes,the young ones needed clothes.

My grandmother was very sick at the time and could not keep an eye on my son while I went to get clothes.Since I never leave my son anywhere with anybody I took him with me.

The worker shows up and says to me "I told you didn't I?" I didn't even pay attention to him since I had something to do that very same day.My son needed to be clean and ready to go to the doctor's to get some shots since now he was 10 months old.

So I got the colthes and went back to my grandmother's house to get him ready for the doctor.We left and went to the doctor.My son once again got a clean bill of health and hugs and kisses from the doctors and nurses.

We are on the way up the street and I see what I think is the worker and two male police officers outside my grandmother's house.I continue to walk up the street and there he is with two male police officers ready and waiting to take my baby.

I walk right pass him and go inside to get my baby out of the cold.It's Febuary 26,1997.The dhs worker and the two male police officers chase me through the house all the way to the back yard and in the back yard the two male police officers hold down my 17 year old 125 pound frame as if I am a man wanted for murdering the president and the worker takes my screaming and crying baby out of my arms.
The police officers then proceed to place me in hand cuffs like I have just broken the law.The carry me up the steps and tell me that if I don't stop screaming my baby's name that they will drop me on the steps.They bring me into the house and leave me by the front door on the floor. I stay there all night waiting for him to bring my baby back. He never does.

I got to court the next day and I have no idea what is going on since I have never been to court a day in my life.I don't understand what is going on.I'm looking around for my baby so I can stop him from crying,he is no where to be found.

I then find out in the court room that he has been placed.I ask the court appointed lawyer what does that mean he says that he is in a foster home.What,why,where is my baby?I did exatcly what the worker wanted me to do and he took my baby away from me.It has been over 14 years since I was able to hold my baby and kiss him good night.They have screwed up me and my son as a result of what they have done to the both of us my son has been abused in more ways than one.

I was been in several mental health facilities for depression.I have been in and out of therapy since I was 17.I am now 31.I have 3 daughters and dhs still haresses me till this day about my children.Every time a worker comes to my house they always bring up my son which as I write this now is extremly painful to me.

The department of humas services took him away from me because we were poor I kept my son safe 100% of the time.

The department of human services took him and placed him in danger 100% of the time.

Now I am in the process of getting him back into my life and home.I have spoken to his current social worker and he has had me get a psyche eval and I have to complete something called a parenting capaticy test,something which I have never heard of.I am doing what they want me to do so I can get my son home with me and his 3 sisters.I can't let them know that I see a therapist because of what they did to me when I was 17 or I would never see my son again.I had the eval done and from the outside lookin in the Dr. said that I looked happy and well.She said that she would put in the report that there are no apparent mental issues.I have had an F.B.I clearance,child abuse clearance and a criminal background check.I have also had a drug test done because of something that I done when I was 17.

I don't know how everything will come out in the end but I am hoping for the best.I know I waited a long time to do anything but I had been told by the woman who was raising my son since he was 2 years old that he was doing fine and everything was ok.I later found out that that was not the case and she as abuseing him.

I had to step in and do something about what has happened to him for the past 14 years.I was lead to believe by someone who I trusted that everything was fine and he would be ok.I have to undo the damage that DHS has caused to my son.It will be a long process and I am willing to do what I need to do for his well being.I hope that I didn't take up too much of your time telling you my story.