A Texas couple went to great lengths to have a noninstitutionalized birth at home. Still, after it was all said and done, the state got involved with their newborn daughter and ended up taking her not only from their arms of her parents but also from their home entirely.
Now, they’re involved in a shocking and completely unexpected custody battle. The two parents believe their story is indicative of the over-policing of Black families in the child welfare system.
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Temecia Jackson gave birth to her daughter at home.
Temecia Jackson decided to hire a midwife for the birth of her third child, The 19th reports. She’d had two emergency C-sections with her two sons and she wanted a different, less traumatic experience with her daughter, Mila.
She and her husband, Rodney, researched and hired a midwife. It ended up being the right decision. On March 21, Temecia gave birth to a 6 lb., 9 oz. baby at the couple’s home under her midwife’s care.
The family pediatrician diagnosed Mila with jaundice.
Three days after Temecia gave birth, the Jacksons visited Dr. Anand Bhatt, their pediatrician of 12 years, for a routine checkup, according to CBS News. During the visit, Bhatt diagnosed Mila with jaundice, a common condition among newborns, characterized by high levels of bilirubin, a yellow-orange bile pigment, in the blood.
Bhatt contacted the Jacksons afterward to discuss possible treatment options. On the phone, Temecia said that she planned to work with her midwife to treat Mila at home.
The pediatrician said the bilirubin could cause brain damage.
As the day progressed, the family’s doctor became more adamant that the Jacksons needed to bring Mila into the hospital for quicker treatment. Bhatt told the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services investigator Brenda Martinez that in her bilirubin test, Mila's levels were 21.7 milligrams.
A regular range is below 20. Bhatt told Martinez that the levels were “cause for a lot of concern.” The levels could lead to brain damage because “bilirubin can cross the blood brain barrier.”
When the Jacksons didn't take Mila to the hospital, she was removed from the home.
The couple’s midwife, Cheryl Edinbyrd, called the Jacksons after they left Bhatt’s office. Edinbyrd told CBS that she noticed Mila’s bilirubin levels were high but not critical. Edinbyrd assessed Mila’s stool and indicated that the chemical was leaving her system.
But apparently, that wasn’t enough. CPS removed Mila from her home and took her to the hospital for treatment. Later, she was placed with a foster family. The Jacksons have been granted one two-hour visit each week.
A custody hearing is scheduled for April 20.
A virtual hearing was scheduled for April 6, to determine whether Mila would be returned to her parents. But a judge postponed it until April 20.
“My husband and I did extensive research to find a midwife. Everything went as it was supposed to,” the mom of three told The 19th. “Then to turn around and have to deal with this really puts a damper on what was such a beautiful experience.”
