What next?!

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HRKJHDK
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2019 10:33 pm

What next?!

Post by HRKJHDK » Fri Aug 23, 2019 12:45 am

So I took my baby to A&E as he had a blue bottom. I was told it was extensive bruising and was highly doubted to be non-accidental. Long story short my boy was taken to foster care on an interim care order. We’re now a week into that.

My partner - baby’s Dad has just told me that he fell to sleep with my boy on the sofa (boy laying on Dads chest) the dog barked, he jumped up, as he did baby threw himself back and partner grabbed his bum to stop him falling. This is what’s caused the bruising.

I was unaware of this, at the time I was upstairs putting clean washing away and heard the dog bark and baby cry but assumed the dog had made him jump whilst he was sleeping (I knew partner was trying to get him to sleep but wasn’t aware he had drifted off himself) at the time of all the questioning, I had forgotten all about this as it isn’t unusual for dog to make my boy jump then cry.

So basically, what happens now? Partner has said he didn’t say anything as he was ashamed to have fell asleep, he felt guilty for causing the bruises etc but has agreed to now tell the truth.

Will social services believe that I didn’t know this? Will they question if this is the truth seems as it’s took him so long to be honest? Will I get my boy back?!

I understand my boyfriend being ashamed and feeling guilty but I can’t help but hate him too. He’s watched me breaking down, I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, I blamed myself, I felt a bad mum because I didn’t know what had happened and all the time he knew. I know he didn’t intend to hurt my boy, nor is he a threat to my boy but he’s meant to love both of us and he’s watched us be torn apart, he’s watched my beautiful boy be taken away because of his own pride. In turn, I’ve lost my job as a children’s home manager because my own child has been looked after. He’s ruined our lives.

But my main questions are;
Will I get my boy back if boyfriend tells the truth?!
What will come of my boyfriends disclosure? Will he be in trouble?
Do I need to break up with my partner before or after the court case ends?
Can the court proceedings be ended sooner with the confession?
Will they believe that I didn’t know?

Please help me. My whole world has fallen apart. My main priority though is having my beautiful baby boy back with me, safe and happy!

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 4210
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: What next?!

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Sep 06, 2019 1:41 pm

Dear Hrkjhdk,

I am so sorry to hear that your baby has suffered injuries. You say the hospital suspects that the bruises have been caused deliberately.
Care proceedings have started, your son was removed from you and is placed in foster care under an interim care order.

You will have access to a solicitor via the legal aid scheme. It is important to check that your legal team is experienced in cases where there is alleged non accidental injuries.
To get a really good understanding of how the courts how the courts make decisions when a child has suffered possible non accidental injuries, please read this article by the Child Protection Resource .

At the moment, no one knows for sure how your baby was injured.
The police will be conducting their own investigation to try and establish the cause of the injuries and whether they can prosecute anyone. To get a conviction the police need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that someone had committed a criminal offence.
However, in the family court, the balance of proof is much lower.
There is likely to be a fact finding hearing to finds out how your baby suffered these injuries. In the family court, the local authority only have to prove on the balance of probabilities that someone had caused the injuries.

My advice is to speak to your solicitor as soon as you can about your boyfriend’s disclosure. This will give the local authority and the police time to investigate this explanation.
Best wishes,
Suzie

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