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KPtoys
I'm getting old
Member since 5/05 8688 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Interesting case...
What do you think???
Officials try to seize sex offender's baby
Pennsylvania hospital refuses to hand over newborn
Friday, October 21, 2005; Posted: 8:05 a.m. EDT (12:05 GMT)
Melissa WolfHawk, who is married to a sex offender, is fighting to keep her child.
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Child-welfare officials obtained an emergency court order to seize a baby just 24 hours after he was born, contending the infant would be unsafe because his father is a convicted sex offender.
The hospital, however, refused to hand over the infant so soon after birth, according to a lawyer representing the mother, Melissa WolfHawk.
WolfHawk, 31, is due in court Friday for a hearing, said Mary Catherine Roper, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer representing the mother.
The child was born Tuesday, and Schuylkill County Children and Youth Services was granted the order Wednesday.
The agency expressed concerns that the boy could be in danger because his 53-year-old father, DaiShin WolfHawk, was convicted of rape and sodomy more than two decades ago in New York.
"Melissa is leaving the hospital tonight," Roper said Thursday. "Schuylkill County is going to show up at the hospital sometime tomorrow morning to pick up the baby, who will be released when the hospital is ready to release him."
A hospital administrator said Thursday he couldn't talk about the issue, citing patient privacy rules.
Roper said the child services agency also raised concerns about the mother's alleged history of drug abuse.
The WolfHawks had already gone to court because county officials were asking about the pregnancy. A federal judge placed a temporary restraining order on county officials to keep them from doing so.
DaiShin WolfHawk said he and his wife were "appalled" at the county's actions.
"Here's a baby being breast-fed by its mother, and they're saying that the mother's a danger to the baby," DaiShin WolfHawk said. "What were they doing? They were trying to grab the baby before it even had its shots, circumcised, anything."
The boy, whose name he declined to disclose, was born at Jennersville Regional Hospital in West Grove, about 60 miles south of Pottsville, where Melissa WolfHawk lives. Mother and child were still together at the hospital as of Thursday morning.
DaiShin WolfHawk pleaded guilty under the name John Joseph Lentini in 1983 to rape and sodomy in a case involving two teenage girls.
At Monday's hearing, the county produced a doctor's report that Melissa WolfHawk had acknowledged using cocaine and methamphetamine and working as a prostitute. The county also submitted a New York parole document indicating DaiShin WolfHawk sexually abused his daughter.
The WolfHawks have vigorously denied those allegations.
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Posted 10/21/05 5:53 PM  |
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neenie
Member since 5/05 22351 total posts
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Re: Interesting case...
Posted by KPtoys
"Here's a baby being breast-fed by its mother, and they're saying that the mother's a danger to the baby," DaiShin WolfHawk said. "What were they doing? They were trying to grab the baby before it even had its shots, circumcised, anything."
At Monday's hearing, the county produced a doctor's report that Melissa WolfHawk had acknowledged using cocaine and methamphetamine and working as a prostitute. The county also submitted a New York parole document indicating DaiShin WolfHawk sexually abused his daughter.
i agree with the court's decision. i HATE when they try to play the guilt factor, "they wouldnt let her breastfeed... so theyre harming the baby"... ummmm MAYBE in this situation, Formula would be the better alternative to breast milk from a Cocaine and Meph user 
it takes ALOT for the courts to separate a child from the parents.... and in cases like this, i think that, although its Sad for the child, it really is within the childs best interest 
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| Posted 10/21/05 6:00 PM |
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Redhead
You Live, You Learn
Member since 5/05 31871 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Interesting case...
The article is rather vague on its facts...
He was a sex offender 20 years ago?
I guess that is true...
Mother is a druggie...past or present or validity to that....TOO VAGUE
Some daughter was molested (question?)
I think that there are tooo many unanswered questions in this article to make a opinion
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| Posted 10/21/05 6:04 PM |
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neenie
Member since 5/05 22351 total posts
Name:
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Re: Interesting case...
the fact that he sexually molested his daughter, regardless of how long ago it was, is enough for me to believe that he shouldnt have an opportunity to harm another child of his
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| Posted 10/21/05 6:07 PM |
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Redhead
You Live, You Learn
Member since 5/05 31871 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Interesting case...
Posted by neeniebean86
the fact that he sexually molested his daughter, regardless of how long ago it was, is enough for me to believe that he shouldnt have an opportunity to harm another child of his
Is that a fact?
the article doesn't say
It says he was a molester 20 years ago
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| Posted 10/21/05 6:19 PM |
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neenie
Member since 5/05 22351 total posts
Name:
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Re: Interesting case...
it said at the bottom of the article that the county supplied documents indicating (Not alledging) sexual abuse. they wouldnt be able to Indicate without substantial evidence.
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| Posted 10/21/05 6:21 PM |
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Redhead
You Live, You Learn
Member since 5/05 31871 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Interesting case...
Posted by neeniebean86
it said at the bottom of the article that the county supplied documents indicating (Not alledging) sexual abuse. they wouldnt be able to Indicate without substantial evidence.
That is why i am saying this article is TOOOOOOOO vague to really make a judgement
Do i like the fact that a sex offender is having a child...not really but if he went to jail and did his time....how are we to stop him?
What we shjould be looking to do is change SEX OFFENDER LAWS and jail terms
It is a sad reality....but a reality.
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| Posted 10/21/05 6:26 PM |
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neenie
Member since 5/05 22351 total posts
Name:
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Re: Interesting case...
Posted by Redhead
What we shjould be looking to do is change SEX OFFENDER LAWS and jail terms
i completely agree!
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| Posted 10/21/05 6:37 PM |
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Redhead
You Live, You Learn
Member since 5/05 31871 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Interesting case...
I think sex offender laws are incredibly pathetic...
And to really expect that the law is going to take away from all the children of sex offenders out there....well it ain't going to happen.
Now if the laws were such that a sex offender was in jail for 25-30 years....
well that would be doing something more proactive!
Message edited 10/21/2005 6:39:52 PM.
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| Posted 10/21/05 6:39 PM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
Name:
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Re: Interesting case...
I agree the laws definitely need changing. Good article - interesting idea in terms of family and criminal law.
Take the Elizabeth Smart case. The guy was facing charges of 2-1/2 years for aggravated kidnapping before he was deemed incompetent to stand trial. That poor girl's life is permanently altered, her sense of safety shattered - and he would get away with 2-1/2 years? Ridiculous.
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| Posted 10/21/05 7:52 PM |
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