A Dallas-area newborn is back in the loving arms of her parents after a custody battle with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Temecia and Rodney Jackson welcomed their daughter, Mila, in a planned home birth on March 21. But days after the joyous birth, DFPS took the baby from her parents, citing a neglect report from the family's pediatrician, Dr. Anand Bhatt.
Before visiting the family's long-time doctor, their midwife, Cheryl Edinbyrd, cared for both Temecia and Mila after the birth. Edinbyrd assured the couple their baby was healthy. This was not enough for the authorities, who ultimately sided with the doctor and took the baby from her home, devastating the couple.
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A routine test of the baby came back abnormal.
After a newborn checkup with Bhatt, bloodwork indicated that Mila had an elevated bilirubin count and had signs of jaundice, according to an affidavit obtained by CBS News. Bhatt reportedly told the family that at 21.7 milligrams, Mila's bilirubin was a significant cause of concern and they needed to bring her to the hospital for treatment.
Edinbryd reportedly disagreed and told the family the levels were higher than normal but not excessively. She then checked Mila's stool and told her parents the bilirubin was exiting her system.
Bhatt threatened to contact DFPS if the Jacksons did not bring Mila to the hospital.
He made good on the threat, and at 4 a.m. March 25, the family woke to pounding on their door. Both police and DFPS were at the door, but the Jacksons refused to let them in. They returned a second time but were again denied entry. On a third visit on March 30, authorities served a warrant.
Documents show police arrested Rodney Jackson and charged him with one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and a second count of preventing the execution of a civil process. After his arrest, police took Mila from Temecia Jackson. The couple's two sons were left in the home.
Temecia Jackson says Bhatt was not happy with her medical care choices.
In a video posted to the Afiya Center Instagram page, Temecia Jackson claimed Bhatt offered the family options for Mila's care. She said he wrote them down for the couple, and her lawyer has a copy. She believes Bhatt wanted to punish her for using a midwife.
"It just feels as if it was retaliation because we pretty much let him know, like, yes, we are going with these options with our midwife," she said.
The entire situation was terrifying for the family.
Temecia Jackson spoke in a news conference and expressed fear that officials had stolen Mila. Rodney Jackson said he and his wife were treated like criminals and were living a nightmare.
Disturbingly, the documents DFPS used to remove Mila from her home did not name the Jacksons as her parents. WFAA reported that the mother listed is not Temecia Jackson, and the woman it did list has a "criminal and CPS history." Additionally, Rodney Jackson is listed as an alleged father along with another name. The Jacksons claim they have no idea who those people are.
The Afiya Center wants justice for the Jackson family. "We'll keep fighting against the criminalization of Black parents, children, and midwives because NO ONE should live through this nightmare," the center wrote in a statement on its social media. "The Jackson family won't get justice until the healthcare providers, CPS workers, DeSoto police officers, Dallas constables, and every other person who allowed Mila to be taken from her family is held accountable."
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Mila is back home.
The Afiya Center announced early Thursday that ahead of a hearing scheduled for that afternoon, the Dallas District Attorney's Office confirmed that Mila would be with her family soon, CBS News reported.
"We did it, y'all! We kept the pressure on CPS and elected officials to return baby Mila Jackson to her family, and the day has finally come," the organization posted on its social media pages. "Thanks to the thousands of YOU who sprung into action from our social media posts and coordinated media outreach, the DA decided to reunite Mila with her loving parents. The Jackson family will be whole again this morning."
