UK mum separated by force from newborn in Spain. AIBU to be shocked this is taking so long to resolve?

[wigglylines]

Poor woman, poor baby too. I can't imagine what she's going through.

Why would they drag it out so long? How long does it take to get a DNA test FFS?

Story here www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/03/british-woman-says-she-was-separated-from-newborn-daughter-in-spain

[Petition link removed by MNHQ as we don't allow them in AIBU or anywhere other than our Petitions topic]

"TBH, I'd rather proper checks were done than we ended up with another little Adam floating down the Thames"

So for you it is to do with race then?

To be clear what I mean, if the mother was white and middle class with a husband in tow, would your first thought really be of the tragic story of an African baby in the Thames?

The mother is British btw and her heritage is Carribean not West African.

Well yes I suppose it does.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4098172.stm

Interesting story from the BBC on trafficking for sacrifice. The children who are being trafficked are black. Therefore the people trafficking them are also going to be black, because they want to avoid detection so they're not going to send a black child with someone white they're clearly not related to.

If the hospital did nothing they would also be accused of racism by not affording a black child a decent level of protection from harm. And refusing to acknowledge that black children from Africa are more likely to be trafficked than a white child in Surbiton is yet another form of racism.

And anyway race doesn't appear to be a factor in this case, they've been very clear that she presented with a false story.

And anyway, refusing to investigate trafficking of children because you're afraid of being called racist works out really well doesn't it? Look at Rotherham.

It's because of people like you finger pointing and shouting racism that so many children have been abused or hurt because a blind eye was turned.

I know she is British with Carribbean ancestry. But she is still black and therefore could enter the country with a black child with a low detection risk.

Are people actually suggesting that the baby could be from a boat refugee mother?

ourdearleader you are right, people who shout racism when there's absolutely no reason to do so are doing a lot of harm and not the good they think they are doing.
Next time a doctor or social worker have doubts they may be weary of raising the alarm.
Had the mother been white from anywhere in the world including Spanish the procedure would be the same

I think social services, and the police should be free to do their job regardless of the nationality of the individuals in question, without fear of people shouting about racism and political correctness.

Where are we if a Spanish/Norwegian/Nigerian/Thai person in Britain cant be arrested or questioned about their conduct?

I'm an ex social worker and this to me (as the previous social worker who posted said) has an air about it that suggests there are other issues.

Please remember that when child protection social workers become involved parents often go to the press and present a very different story to the one the social worker would give, though of course the social worker cannot give any angle on the story or even confirm their involvement.

When parents know pre-birth that a baby is likely to be removed from their care at birth it is not unusual for them to disappear. When this happens - even when they go abroad - common procedure is to alert health professionals in an area they may go to and ask them to arrange for local social services to hold onto the baby until appropriate arrangements can be made. Sometimes this means the baby being kept in the neo-natal unit of the hospital and the parents being given supervised contact.

A baby being retrieved by social services in the UK from abroad would involve complicated court proceedings that may take some time. If there was even the tiniest smidgen of doubt about the baby's parentage DNA tests would be ordered as part of these proceedings.

Throughout all this nobody official would be able to give any public statement or information at all and the only public story would be the aspects of the case or the angle of the story that the parent chose to give.

I'm not saying that this is what is happening in this case. But it is a possibility.

i agree the race of the mother is a total red herring here. She presented with a story that did not match the medical evidence, contradicted herself, then did a runner. Whats not to be suspicious about??

when I was 36 weeks pg we went away within the UK to stay with ILs 300 miles from home for 4 days. We went prepared with hospital notes, bag packed, babys bag of clothes and nappies etc, and car seat just in case

it is not normal IMO to go galivanting around europe at 36 weeks pg, making no plans for 'what if'.

as an aside, what happens about getting a passport in situations like this (assuming she is the birth mother and the baby was born while she was on holiday in spain) - how does one get a passport to bring the baby home?

as an aside, what happens about getting a passport in situations like this (assuming she is the birth mother and the baby was born while she was on holiday in spain) - how does one get a passport to bring the baby home?*

The British consulate will arrange one.

It sounds like there is more going on than meets the eye. It must be so frustrating for the professionals involved to see a half truth floating round the press but being unable to correct it.

I won't sign this petition. It doesn't add up and I do not believe the Spanish authorities would have done this lightly.

Do we really think that the hospital and authorities would be doing this,under the media's eye both here and there if there weren't genuine concerns? They'd want this done and dusted asap to avoid exactly this sort of speculation. Something is very odd here.

As I said wiggly, the separating mothers from their babies and bringing them to you every 3 hrs is commonplace here in Italy, so possibly also in Spain. It isn't done because they don't want mothers to be with their children but to give the mothers time to rest. It wasn't like that when I had dd in 2003, but the following year in the same hospital had been brought in again.

It's nothing to do with race!
Things don't add up.
They don't think the baby is hers. The birth dates don't match.
She ran away from the hospital when she knew the police were coming. Hardly the actions of an innocent woman!
She isn't bring kept from the baby, shes seeing the baby every 3 hours.
If it was the uk then it would be excatly the same.the ss wouldn't let her leave with the baby either.
Until more facts are out i don't blame people for not signing.
All we have to go on is what the supposed mother is saying?
When police or ss get involved some parents aren't excatly truthful.

Not believing this story

www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2015/07/04/british-mother-forcibly-separated-from-baby-after-spanish-hospital-claim-it-isnt-hers/

Another odd version where the age of the older child is confused too.

www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2015/07/06/update-agonizing-wait-continues-for-british-mother-separated-from-newborn-baby/

And this one where the results apparently usually take months to come through... Of a DNA test?? Or something else?

After what I'm going to say I will have to remove myself from mumsnet because it's so crazy.
Please someone have a look at the baby's (beautiful!!!) photo. I can see front teeth. I know this is crazy and can't be so, but that's what it looks like and of course it does not make sense but that's what I see.
It must be a trick of the light or I don't know what but I have been seeing it for days.
I know this can't be so please give me your thoughts on why does it look like teeth.

some babies are born with teeth though, are they not?

Yes, I know this but it's two even front teeth. I just want to know if others see it.
I should have said that my pointing this out has totally nothing to do with any previous comments I have made on this story and does not influence my take on the matter, however a baby with teeth (even if it can happen)combined with other niggling bits which don't add up may make the doctors even more cautious
This is only about the photo, nothing else. Just does any one else think that it looks sa if baby has teeth?

I can't see them no.

I see what you mean about the teeth, but it probably just a trick of the light. I do think the baby looks like her.

She said she gave birth within the last 24 hours-pediatrician who I assume has seen many a new born and older babies- said "erm this child is older than that"
She said no it isn't
He said I am willing to bet my professional experience and possibly my job on it - because that is what this boils down to
She said I'm off

Not really sure why the hospital shouldn't be concerned and keeping the baby safe until it is confirmed the baby is or isn't safe to be in the care of this woman.
The politicians aren't asking questions about a British Citizen at least not publicly and that makes me wonder as well- they even ask after Guantanamo Bay prisoners and the ISIS lot
Why did her mum really need her to go out flat hunting in Spain that late into her pregnancy
The father is apparently aware of the birth but not of all of the fuss- really he isn't but we all are????????

She has gaps between visits with the baby where she could meet a lawyer but hasn't yet- she can however find time to talk to journalists and pose for pictures? I would be clawing tooth and nail to make sure I got help from ALL sources and it wouldn't be the fresh air for the baby that I was worrying about.

I still think that it is fishy

38 weeks is not really early. It is counted as term. Everyone knows that and would make serious plans if they had to travel so late. It should not have been a surprise to her to go into labour.

I keep thinking about the actual practicality of clamping the cord (with what in rented flat?) and cutting it, delivering the placenta. It's not the same as giving birth at home and quickly summoning help. There's no suggestion that she or her mum had any midwifery experience. Would people really not bat an eyelid about handling all that without assistance in a strange place?

Of course the paediatrician can tell a newborn baby from an older one. Eg what did the cord stump look like? Was she producing colostrum or had her milk come in already.

Various scenarios are possible eg that it is not her baby and she is involved in trafficking or had a stillbirth or that she is running away from care proceedings in the uk and the baby is hers but older.

Maybe it is all a terrible tragic mix up but there is not sufficient info to be sure of that at all.

Why would someone court publicity if they have done something wrong? Well people are strange. Look at Karen Matthews who knew her child had not been abducted but still did huge press conferences asking for her safe return.

All in all I not persuaded to sign the petition

Well I guess only time will tell what has actually occurred. If there are just waiting for a DNA test though they should really hurry up as separating a mum and new born, albeit not completely, is a very serious and damaging step to be taking.

Regarding race I can understand why people feel sensitive because there is lots of racism around.

I can recall being on Italian train as a young woman and for some reason having the wrong ticket. The guard was all smiles as I explained my mistake. Later I saw a black woman being treated practically as a criminal for the same problem. It's probably difficult to imagine if you've not experienced it.

That said race should never stand in the way of addressing child protection concerns. I am however fairly convinced that where this appears to have happened in the UK it is probably just those involved making lame excuses for their own incompetence.