February 26, 2009
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Mother of Octuplets
The mother of the octuplets told Dr. Phil the other day that she was concerned that the hospital would not allow her to take her children home until she proves she “has the means to care for them.”
Dr. Phil said, “What she is telling me is that unless and until she has a better living arrangement, that they are not likely to release the children to her.” Here is the link: Link
Do you think the mother of the octuplets should have to prove she can care for the children before being allowed to take them home?
Comments (164)
I don’t know enough about her to know an answer.
Um, YEAH!
I don’t think that’s for the hospital to decide. CPS? Yes. Hospital? No.
Yes, we all have to.
I have boycotted every single media publication/show that has decided to give this attention whore/psycho the publicity/attention/money that she is exploiting her children for.
yeah. definitely. if you know it’s a shady situation, there should be some sort of varification….
Hello? YES. I think she’s an idiot. I’m all for new life-I’ve got 7 kids and would love more, but let’s be realistic..she cant’ care for the SIX she had at home, she violated ethical standards by demanding all her embryos be implanted-she knew full well the chances they’d survive. She’s an attention whore and those kids are in danger.
That’s my opinion BTW.
Seriously – yes. She should have too. Why in the world would you let someone with six kids already bring eight more home and not worry about their well-being? I know if I was someone with those kids everyday I would worry when they went home..
I definitely don’t think it’s a bad thing, considering the outlandish and far-from-normal circumstances. I don’t think this should set a precedence that a hospital or the government can do this whenever, wherever, or however they choose, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea right now.
@rbmegert - They have CPS in the hospital, at least here they do, and in the case of drugs being in your system or something like that, they wont let you take your children home after giving birth. Its pretty standard here, and if they are smart, they will test that woman for mental illness.
I don’t think it is the hospital’s business. When you start that “big brother” stuff, then everyone is subject to it. Do you really want someone telling you whether you can bring your baby home for whatever reason they might come up with? NO! Granted, I understand the safety and health concerns, but this woman has known for the last 9/10 months now what she is up against.
@antisoccermom - Yup. This woman is a nutjob.
Wait, what about all the babies released into ultra poor overcrowded households everyday? What defines minimum care?
errrmmm yep.
My supervisor at my practicum/internship makes an interesting point regarding having children in any state. She always reminds us that children don’t actually belong to the parents, they belong to the state in which they reside. Children can be taken away from parents at any time if there is a risk of neglect, harm, or any other wrongdoing toward the children. Maybe she feels this way because she works for the DCFS as well as with my current practicum site.
So yes the hospital can notify DCFS within the state if they think the children are not going to be cared for. I figure it’s part of mandated reporting…If there is any sign of neglect or harm toward any of the children then the hospital has to report it. Also, due to extenuating circumstances, her already having trouble providing for her other six chldren, it is understandable why they would look into not having her take home her octuplets.
Yes. I think everyone should have to prove that they can provide proper care for their children…of course that’s not always possible (to prove) and if that were the case there would possibly be a lot of babies without homes.
YES! the children’s health and well-being should always come first.
The Magic Eightball says: Heck, yeah.
Hell Yes!
No. Plenty of children grow up fine with families with low resources. That is not up to the hospital to determine.
That’s not the hospital’s business. Let the proper authority go in and decide.
Not that their decision would be any different. But still.
Yeah.
Also, she looks a lot like Angelina Jolie.
No, because that’s not a standard which all mothers must meet.
She might need to prove it if she has more than 4 kids at a time.
Yes, they might as well.
I dont think that they have that authority…but if they call CPS then it might be another issue. legally they will not release patients to particular people, this is kind of a drastic example, but its like if a woman who was beat by her husband ended up at the hospital, and her husband tried to take her home… they wouldnt let her go with him. Its saftey and if they have a general concern, then they may have right to do so by CPS following particular guidleines.
Should she have to prove that she’s capable of taking care of her children. No.
Let me explain. I do agree that if the staff have good cause to believe that she’s incapable of caring for her children, they should intervene. But if they are going to err, they should err on the side of letting her care for them herself.
The mother should have to disprove that she’s capable in order to lose custody of her children. It should be innocent until proven guilty.
She should prove she has he means and the sanity too. I still strongly believe she has mental issues.
I think this is sort of like closing the barn door after the horse has gotten out…in other words, this should of been taken into account before her planned pregnancy
. I hold the doctors and the clinic accountable for this one. Safeguards should be in place to check for the sanity/financial responsibility/etc of the mother among other things. Now there are always going to be outside people involved in the care of these children. Always.
Hell no!!!! The mother has more right to decide whether she will keep her baby or not….
100%
No. She is an idiot, and I don’t agree at all with her choice to bring children into this world in such an irresponsible manner. But, it is a very dangerous precedent to refuse to release children to their parents in the absence of past abuse/neglect or immediate danger of such. Just because she’s an idiot, doesn’t mean we can take away her rights and consider her guilty until proved innocent (when she hasn’t even been accused of a crime) kwim?
I don’t know enough about her to answer. There is a principle in law that children cannot be removed from parents based solely on financial circumstances. If they could be, then no poor people would be allowed to have their children, which is outrageous of course.
If they are saying they will not send them home, the fear must be that she is not able to handle their medical needs, which are not doubt extensive. And that could be a basis for a neglect finding and removal of custody — but it would have to happen in court.
YES! Those octuplets plus the children she already has – she needs to MORE than prove she can care for them all. And she needs her head examined as well.
@Dare2BDiferentt - Yeah, she had lots of work done so she could look like Angelina. Apparently Angelina is creeped out by Octomom.
I think that’s something the IVF clinic should have checked up before implanting any embryo into her utereus.
Of course. We can’t just hand babies out willy-nilly.
@antisoccermom - Good point. Besides, I just work in the health care industry (computer programmer). I don’t claim know ANYTHING about it….lol Thanks for setting me straight on that.
Just because she’s a quasi celebrity doesn’t mean she should be exempt from the rules and regulations of the hospital, which in my understanding means that she needs to prove that she can take care of (physically, not necessarily financially) eight micropreemies. Taking care of one baby (much less a preemie) is taxing. There is no way that she can PHYSICALLY do it. The hospital isn’t making a big deal because of how well known she is; they’re making a big deal because EVERY mother of micropreemies has to jump through hoops like that. Administering meds, making sure kids eat on time – it’s a big deal and can threaten their health if not done properly.
Uh, duh?
@radicalramblings - Its not so much of it being a crime; its a medical regulation to not release children to any mother under suspect of not having the means to take care of her children.
@randomneuralfirings - I think the reason they want to check now before she messes up is because you’re dealing with the lives of children, have you forgotten? What if one passes away from neglect? Should we risk that and wait when its so obvious that she doesn’t have the means to take care of them now?
Um yes, and most hospitals make parents show that they can take care of a premature infant before they can leave the hospital with the baby. Usually a social worker is assigned to check situations like this out, and to make sure a parent can care for 1 premie infant, so I am SURE that they are checking into things to make sure she can take care of 8 premies.
I think this woman’s an effing narcissist, but all I had to prove before I took my babies home was that I had a car seat properly installed. This sounds like B.S. to me.
She’s going to need at least two mini-vans to fit all those car seats, though.
@misswonderj - I think you missed my point. If it’s obvious, yes, certainly, don’t let her take them home. But if we’re going to remember that we’re dealing with children, we also have to remember that we’re proposing to make them orphans. How often, really, is that an improvement? Sometimes it is. But not often.
Absolutely not! Look at all of the women in poverty, or who are on medicaid (indicating a low income) who give birth everyday … the hospitals do not hold their children hostage.
She SHOULD have to prove she can take care of them.
When I was leaving the hospital with my daughter, they would not let me out the door until they had lectured my ear off about how to feed and burp and install her carseat in the car and if I even had a carseat and how to bathe her and when to bathe her and blah blah blah…it took like 3 hours to be released. So I say she go through 24 hours (8 times as much) of lecturing. Besides, where is she gonna put 8 carseats?
I think any parent should have to go through a little something to be able to take their children home, ESPECIALLY if they’re single like me and this stupid mother…and the more children you have at once, the more extensive the process should be.
yep
@randomneuralfirings - I’m not seeing how adoption is a bad thing? Especially when its through a public hospital and not some private institution. And considering she’s single, no job, and the number of children she has goes into the double digits, I’d say its a tad bit obvious she isn’t fit to take care of them.
of course. they’re mandated reporters, they’d be responsible if something happened to the children.
@Amyld - Unfortunately the hospitals don’t have the will to take care of people on Medicaid like they do people in higher social classes nor are they required to. People on Medicaid get very limited health services as it is seeing as how they have to reapply to qualify every month. And because taking in children usually goes over a span of a month that’s not something they do for the poorer classes. It all costs money.
No, it isn’t the hospitals place. Maybe they should contact someone who actually has that type of decision making in their job description.
@PoetMcChick - Agreed!
Yes. There is no way she can care for all those kids. She probably can’t care for the children she has already.
That would mean that poverty is a reason to keep kids from their mothers. It is not the job of the hospital but the state to decide on child care and safety. A loving mother with not much money is better for a child than a rich bitch.
The hospital has a responsibility to report neglect, abuse, etc. to CPS. They reported it, CPS may have to look into it before the children can be given back to the mother. So, to answer the question, yes.
The sad thing is that CPS can only intervene if there is physical (sexual is part of physical) abuse or neglect. If the child is only abused mentally/emotionally, CPS can’t do a damn thing.
This woman, in my opinion, is unfit to be a mother. I am almost certain that, if she is allowed to raise her children, they will have mental/emotional complexes that may even make them turn out like her.
I’m glad the hospital took the initiative and i hope that those children are given loving and caring homes, but i fear that the efforts of the hospital are in vain.
@misswonderj - Seconded!
I think she needs a visit from CPS……. Personally, though, I think she is insane and needs to be put away.
As others have said, I’m not entirely sure this is the responsibility of the hospital. Last I checked their responsibility was the health of their patience, not their social wellness (aside from letting correct authorities know that their is a problem).
…but someone needs to be sure that those kids don’t get screwed.
Half the stuff this woman says is crazy-talk. It might not even be true.
@misswonderj - Who are you arguing with? Have you even bothered to read my comments? Apparently not. You’ve just set up a nice straw man just so you can be argumentative. So I’ll leave you two alone.
In her situation….YES.
Yes.
Yes, every parent should have to prove they can care for the children especially if they’re on welfare. She’s not retarded, she knows if she can’t take of the children she already had, then she shouldn’t have anymore kids but there is no discipline for women like this. She doesn’t care and she actually thinks every one criticizing her is mean and stupid. She should be slapped.
Not the hospitals concern but definitely children’s services and yes, i do think she should prove she is capable of handling all of them.
Um yes.
UM yeah, I’d say so.
But perhaps she is only so determined to get them home so she can sell them for more foodstamps to feed the 6 she already has at home.
yes.
Don’t think that’s the hospital’s call… but CPS or something like that yeah, she should TOTALLY have to get clearance through them, prove that she can take care and support those kids. Sure she loves them, I don’t doubt that at all, but those kids need to be properly cared for, not just loved. I pray this whole ordeal works out for the benefit of the children.
yes and she is crazy
Not unless they plan to evaluate every woman that comes in and gives birth. Think of all of the babies who died at the hand of their crazy parent. Nobody checked out their mommies.
Uh… no. Hospitals should not be the ones to decide who can or can’t provide for their children.
I think ANYONE should have to.
But this is America and idiots have just as much right to parent as the rest of us.
Hmmm. I didn’t like it that the hospital didn’t allow my baby to leave until they saw it safely strapped in the carseat. That sort of Big Brother stuff really rubs me wrong. Like the seat belt law, etc. Why is the government (or the hospital) responsible for my well-being?
But on the other hand, we have become such a nation of children who don’t take responsibility for ourselves that I suppose it’s inevitable.
No, you’re right–I didn’t answer the question. It irks me that it must be asked!
ummmm hell yes
*sigh* we’re still on this topic?
Are you kidding? I think you should be able to pass an aptitude test before even having sex… let alone proving that you’re okay to take home children.
Yes, its like people should have to pass some sort of test before reproducing…
@CrunchyMountainMomma – Holy crap! You read my mind, lol…
There’s an offer on the table for her to star in a porn flick. 1 Mil.
No. There are plenty of other women out there who do not have the means to provide for thier children when they’re born. They get to take them home anyway.
yes, if she had proper means to take care of them and a good enviroment, then she shouldn’t be worrying about that, but instead she’s pretty much holding her kids hostage by begging people to pity her for her mistakes and pay her, for the sake of her children, or else they might not get fed! The stupid woman should have all her kids up for adoption
NO! this country has an obligation to the world to at least offer the pretense of being a “free country”. Crimes should only be punished after the fact and having 8 babies at once is no crime, unless God committed it… or you live in China
@Aslans_daughter - I agree with you totally. The idea of it totally scares me.
From what I have read on the subject… she doesn’t sound like a good mother. I mean one of her boys looks to old to still be walking with a pacifier in his mouth.
The pictures from her home are horrible and I read about her income… she financially can’t support her children. That’s why she is asking for donations…. yet she can get them nails done and cosmetic surgery ((correct me if I am worng here ))
I agree that she should prove she can take care of those kids and provide a healthy environment for them to grow up in.
Right now I wouldn’t give those babies to her… no way!!!! I don’t understand why she had to do that… when it’s obvious she can’t do much for them. This story is rather sad
sounds fair to me!
Well, it’s really not the hospital’s decision. But, I don’t think she should be allowed to take them home. It’s obvious that she doesn’t have the means to take care of them.
well,
of course
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i do not think they have the right to decide where those children go. BUT i also do not think she needs those kids. why in the world she would want that many is beyond me for sure.
they definitely need to make sure she can do it and that she is mentally fit. If not, they may find a repeat of that Andrea Yates thing in Texas where she killed all of her kids. It is just awful to think about the life these children will probably have. It cannot be good, based on the information I have read.
Um…yes…(can you hear the disdain dripping off my tongue?)
Yes, she should. (And for those who are wondering: Yes, the hospital, through its social services team, can hold those babies until they have an adequate home into which they can be released. Social services wouldn’t be doing their job if they didn’t make sure the children have adequate care [of which a home is a part].)
Yes; although I think it’s pretty obvious that caring for so many kids will be an ENORMOUS challenge. They were already struggling with six!
@huginn - Seriously?!?!? Is this a joke of yours, or is there really an offer out there? Either way, too funny!
She should have had to prove that she could take care of her six other children, before she was allowed to have her octuplets. Oh gee, that didn’t happen.
Yes I think she should have to do that in order to take them home.
Is there a name for cognitive bias that allows a person to believe that other people should have their freedoms limited for being different from them, but also believe that it is wrong for somebody to limit thier freedom to be different?
I don’t want somebody telling me how to live my life, therefore I do not believe I have a right to tell this woman how to live hers. If the children of this woman are being mistreated (ie: not fed properly, abused, etc) then it may be time for somebody to intervene. But, I don’t think this woman wrong for having more children than most people would be comfortable having nor do I think she should be punished for it or have to explain anything to anyone. If anything is wrong, it is the attention and condemnation she has recieved from people who really no knowing about her, who have no right to tell her how to live her life.
I have a good friend who doesn’t have a job, got pregnant and decided not to give the child up for adoption. She is a single mom without a steady income and yet she manages to care for her child. Who am I to say she is irresponsible for keeping the child?
absolutely
uh, DUH.
@Krissy_Cole - Was watching The Rachel Maddow Show online just as I was browsing this entry.
In the closing segment, Maddow mentioned the $1 mil. porn offer from Vivid Entertainment.
Hospitals don’t have technical authority. BUT they DO contact the CPS in cases like these, which puts them well enough in a position of refusal.
I say Yes. Maybe its not a standard all mothers have to go through, but that doesn’t change the fact that she has 6 kids already, is a single unemployed mother, has no living space, and is using government aid already. Should the well being of the children be overlooked because “not all women have to go through this”?
What happens when the mother’s house goes into foreclosure, which its on the brink of at the moment?
Letting her bring home 8more kids to her bedroom, in her mother’s house, is ridiculous.
/end rant
Yeah! She has 8 babies. People have a hard enough time with one baby and usually they have a spouse, some family, or friends to help them out. She has 14 kids and is living ALONE. If she’s supposed to be taking care of 8 newborns, how in the world would she even take care of the other kids?
I feel bad about those kids too. I mean, 8 new kids coming to live with you taking all of mom’s attention?! Man, this lady is going to be on a new episode of Super Nanny soon..
@randomneuralfirings - …? Who said I was arguing? And I typically do read the comments I respond to… wow. Yeah you’re just dumb, its best to end this here. =[ Failure.
yes. it was totally irresponsible for her to IVF those children in the first place.
No.
yes. eight children is a big responsibility.
@bad_seed78 - whats IVF? it’s not like she decided to have 8 kids, it just happened.
@AnchorsAwayx - In Vitro Fertilization. She got them implanted. It didn’t ‘just happen.’
@AnchorsAwayx - and ALL of her kids are from IVF. She technically couldn’t have any by herself.
@huginn - That’s freakin’ hilarious! (And I love Rachel Maddow.)
most definitely. or give them up for adoption.
I just recently gave birth to my son and he was seven weeks early so he is currently in the NICU. Babies in the NICU require a lot of care. Even after they come out. Especially if they are preemies [as my son was] and I konw that everytime I call, visit, feed or even change his diaper, they make note of it. Because they want to make sure I can properly care for him. Now, that being said, I can understand why she may have to prove she can care for these chidlren. Knowing what he living situation is because she is in the media, I can understand why she would think that the hospital wouldn’t let her take her children home. And honestly, if you ever doubt you ability to care for your children or think that someone else doubtrs your ability to care for your children, you really should take a step back and think about why you/they think that. Because there is obviously a reason you believe that. I do think she should have to prove she can care for them. Because not only does she have those eight babies that are currently in the hospital and will probably require special attention when they get out but she also have six at home [and a small one at that that probably isn't big enough for the family she has already]. And no job. If not the hospital then atleast DFACS.
@misswonderj - I’ll consider that a compliment.
It’s not the hospital’s right UNLESS she was in there without medical insurance (which I believe was the case but I could be incorrect) — in that case, the children fall into the system and the hospital then has rules and regulations they have to follow to the letter of the law.
Personally, I think she’s mental and needs to have her children placed somewhere while she gets some help. Who in their right mind brings FOURTEEN children into the world without a CLUE as to how she’s going to properly care for them??? That’s just irresponsible.
Octomom: I don’t feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for your kids.
yes.
She shouldn’t take them home at all. While it would be cool to be able to claim “octo mom” as your parent, what the hell. Check out the Duggar family on TLC. That’s kind of what she reminds me of. Except more demented, if that’s possible.
Yes.
Probably a good idea on the hospital’s part, although I don’t think it is their right to decide that.
of course. chid protective services has failed(once again) if not.
The only thing the hospital cared about is that I had a car seat to take my kids home in. Hospital’s across the country release newborns to people every day. Some of them are raging alcoholics, drug addicts, and abusers. Some will sell their children to the highest bidder. Some will end up killing those children. I don’t believe any hospital has the right to decide who gets to take their children home. If they believe that there is a threat or danger to these kids then they need to get the proper authorities involved. The hospital staff has no right to make any decision except if the authorities need to be called.
yes
The hospital might be the wrong institution to put the responsibility in, but CPS should absolutely take control of the situation. I realize that she has had time to prepare and that she wanted all 14 of her children, but she is in absolutely no condition to care for them. What she did was dangerous for the eight new children, the six she has at home, and herself. I’m all for single parenting and power to single women, but this is taking it way too far. She should not have brought eight new children into a world where they could very possibly end up sick and starving because she can not take care of them. In my opinion she should not be able to keep them, she should be watched carefully by CPS to see if she is still caring for her other kids, and she should definitely not be allowed to do invetro to have any more if she can’t prove she is resposible.
Yes. Though I despise OCTOMOM!, her children are innocent and deserve to be taken care of.
OCTOMOM sounds like a kind of superhero villain. I can just imagine somebody shouting, “OCTOMOM, activate!” And then OCTOMOM would promptly shoot eight mutant babies from her vagina in an attempt to conquer the hero.
The hospital is simply looking out for the well-being of these children, I think it has the right to do that. This lady has been in the news for weeks now and is just trying to prolong the attention. I hope the state/hospital/cps/the psych ward, whomever will make a decision about her and her kids soon. That way the publicity around this woman will end so she can see she’s an idiot for bringing 8 kids into this horrible world just for attention that will fade fast…
Definitely, yes.
yes
Idk… I’m more interested in the fact that an online porn site offered her $1 million to star in a porno. I’m surprised you didn’t blog about that, Dan? Saw it yesterday on the news.
To everyone saying it isn’t the hospital’s business: It is the business of the Social Worker(s) employed by the hospital. In cases where there are concerns about the well being of patients the hospital Social Worker will be asked to be involved prior to discharge.
All medical professionals are mandated reporters, so if they have concerns about the safety of the children they must report those concerns. Because these babies were very premature there will be many additional medical challenges in addition to the number of children. The questions that need to be asked include if the mother can provide for the children’s medical needs. I would be asking that question of anyone with 14 young children, especially when there are already three children with special needs.
The “better living arrangement” could include “x” number of responsible adults providing care to the children at all times and securing stable housing.
fuck, shouldn’t everybody?
but anyway, this story is THE number one topic of pretty much everyone i’ve encountered lately. all my co workers are talking about it. it’s like big national fucking gossip.
@kattshorty - ”My supervisor at my practicum/internship makes an interesting point regarding having children in any state. She always reminds us that children don’t actually belong to the parents, they belong to the state in which they reside.”
That’s the most idiotic and dangerous thing I’ve ever heard. If I have children, they are mine to care for as I see fit. The state can keep their greedy, socialistic hands away from them.
@JessicaAshley7 - Unfortunately, at least in the state of Illinois, that statement has validity. The Department of Children and Family Services has the right to take away any child from his or her parents if the environment they reside in is deemed as unfit. The good news is that the DCFS is at least trying to delay how quickly they choose to take children away from their parents until they properly look into the allegations being made. In years past, if a complaint was filed against a parent the DCFS would remove the child from the home fairly quickly and then investigate afterward. The sad thing is that it is extremely difficult, practically near impossible, for parents to get their children back once they have been taken away.
Of course my supervisor may have some bias as she does work for the DCFS department. She sees children being taken out of homes every day due to the state deciding the parents aren’t fit to take care of their children.
No, they should give away suicide pills for free.
Yes, of course.
I think that it is important for children to have certain things such as: food, water, shelter, clothes, etc. However, I don’t believe this mother should have to prove herself to take her children home from the hospital. I am sure she will find some way to manage all of her children, even if it means sacrificing her own luxuries. It is just what mothers do.
yes, although it may become a trend, so maybe no.
Yes. Those kids deserve to have a good quality of life and she needs to prove that she can give them that…
@CrunchyMountainMomma - definitely an attention whore.
Yes, YES and YES!
Yes.
You know, if she just had one child, I would think that that was unfair. That part of me is kind of pitying her as a female in that sense, being denied her own children.
But then I come back to reality, and the literal situation at hand. She’s a nutcase who doesn’t know when to stop having kids, obviously. She has put her own parents into foreclosure with them trying to take care of her, and she shows no understanding of the meaning of being an adult. Given the circumstances, I do think she should have to prove herself before getting her children.
I really wish she’d come across xanga and see what all these people have to say, she deserves a good kick to the.. er.. proverbial balls.
This is an awesome question. And I’m going to say she should be able to take them home regardless. Maybe have social services keep a watch on them for any wild endangerments.
-David
I don’t think anyone has to be rich to have good care and a happy life, BUT these children require special care. Unless she can prove that she can care for them as their basic needs require, they shouldn’t allow them to be released to her. She can’t even properly care for her other children, nevermind!
We don’t check the homes of mothers giving birth to one, two or even three children… so why should we check the home of a woman who gave birth to eight? Sure, if we started checking ALL parents to see if they had the means to care for their children, then there would be no reason not to check her…
Anyway, she hasn’t done anything to show that she can’t take care of her children… its my understanding that the government can’t take your children away until you’ve proven you CAN’T take care of them.
I am appalled that some people believe the government should step into our lives with “preventive” care in case the children might not be “well cared-for.” We aren’t talking about an abuse or neglect situation. What of the other kids? Are there charges against her for neglecting them? What defines “well cared-for?” I am opposed in general to the government setting standards for our personal lives. Is it improper care if the children aren’t wearing the same fashions as their peers? Is it improper care if they don’t eat fast food 5x/wk? They don’t have individual bedrooms? They don’t have stylish haircuts? Can’t get cable TV? Call the authorities!
That said, this woman made a bad decision to have children out of wedlock. Doctors who agree to artificial insemination of umarried women are doing a disservice to the resulting children. It’s wrong, flat out. That still doesn’t give the government the right to step in and take control.
I suppose so. She has a lot of kids. It’s interesting for about 5 minutes (to an outsider) and don’t see why people care so much. It’s her business and she does not deserve the attention.
No, they are her kids.
She should have had to demonstrate that BEFORE she was implanted!!!!!!
Absolutely yes.
definitely.
14 kids and a 3 bedroom house? get real.
she needs a job.
I think she should have a mental health assessment. But to be fair,she didn’t exactly know that all her eggs were going to produce a fetus.
Look at John and Kate Plus Eight. I am sure that they didn’t the means to support all eight kids that they had. They got the help that they needed. Why not help these children live? To me it is not about the mother anymore. Let’s see what is best for the children.
Yes o_o she’s living with her mother!
umm my mom has ten kids and loves and cares 4 all of u so i think should shound not be able to take them home until she proves she cares about her children
some one has to care about those poor babys, i think she didt think in them but in her self when she get pregnat and definitly she got it, here is the proof those babys deserve better than this woman……………..
The case manager and social worker have the job of finding a way to have her keep all of her kids with her in her home. Identifying resources, support systems, and ensuring follow up. NOT just saying, “bad girl, we’re keeping the babies”. We all feel like she and her doctor were irresponsible, but the babies are here now. If they were fostered out or adopted, they would probably have to be split up. Good or bad, the first choice for placement is with the biological parents. If she screws up later and abuses or neglects them, then they can be taken away.
I would think they should remove the kids from her after proving she cannot take of them. But then again I know we shouldn’t put babies at harm..
yes i agree
@MidnightExotica - Yeah. I heard about that. Apparently the same company that had a hand in several pornographic films with famous people wants her to be in one. They even offered medical care and whatnot if she decides to be a part of a series.
Maybe she is crazy enough to do it. haha.
obviously… does anyone really want newborns to suffer?
other than that i really could care less about the mother..
Yes because she doesn’t have a job and those kids are going to be expensive.
Under normal circumstances, it shouldn’t be necessary. But this is about as Abnormal a circumstance as it gets!
This is an unmarried woman, already the mother of six young children- at least one of whom already has a medical condition- who has no means of support except for her extended family and the charity of others. Despite this, she somehow managed to have herself implanted with EIGHT fetuses at once. Not only is this dangerous to the children, but it carries with it the virtual certainty that they will develop medical conditions as well. This, plus the added expense and drain of community resources to care for such tiny babies from birth.
And- IN ADDITION- this woman has demonstrated, by her words and deeds, that she’s not only irresponsible, but likely deranged as well. Is this someone to whom any reasonably competant CPS organization would willingly allow to raise children? Remember again; this is all being done largely on the taxpayer’s back. Therefore, it’s a legitimate public concern.
First: The medical practitioners who allowed her octuple pregnancy should be prosecuted for ethics violations.
Second: The California state government should review its legal standards with a view toward preventing single mothers from undertaking such actions that endanger children and squander public resources.
Third: The woman should be indicted for fraud against the people of California and, for multiple reasons, be declared a unfit mother.
Fourth: The children should be made wards of the state and every attempt rendered to find them decent homes in which to be raised.
Yes!! She had the means to bring them into this world, so she should have the means to take care of them! If she had naturally conceived 8 children, then I would say this i unfair, but considering the very large sum of money she paid to conceive, she should have money to raise them on her own, too.
@radicalramblings - I agree with you!!!!!! The older I get, and the more hospitals I work in, I realize some of these people can’t even tie their shoes, let alone pass judgement on someone’s ability to xyz. That’s big brother style. No thank you.
Maybe before she was allowed to pursue invitro they should have made sure she could handle another child.
idiot or not, there are lots of idiot parents in the world who are allowed to take their children home every day. Of course she should be allowed to take her children home, they’re HER children. Now, do I think that Children’s Aid should keep an eye on her and the development of her kids? Yes. Should a hospital have the right to judge your ability to be a parent? NO. What kind of precedent are we trying to set, here? Who else should the hospital be allowed to keep babies from? If your husband shows up wearing a dirty wife-beater, should the hospital have the right to say that they don’t think your baby is going home to sanitary conditions so they’re taking it away from you? For crying out loud, policing parents is NOT the hospital’s job!
@sonyalynn601 - EXACTLY. Where’s the accountabilty of those who allowed this woman to be implanted with six embryos when she was already a struggling mother of 6?