Just my own opinion..
Anna Mae He is currently at the center of a custody battle. When she was three weeks old her parents relinquished custody of their daughter to another family. Supposedly so the child could get medical insurance. And supposedly they understood this to be a temporary measure. The ruling says that the parents didn't have full knowledge of what the consequenses were.
The family that this child is being taken away from has raised her for the past 8 years. You cannot give custody of your child to someone then want to came take the child back. Have the child spend 8 years living with this family, being raised and loved adn cherished as their own then rip this child from the safety and security of what she knows is family.. and home. I've been there once.
We had our grand daughter for 2 years. The first one admittedly was while she was in kindergarten and I had her all day but she went home most evenings. The next year she simply lived with us. She didn't want to leave and we, in the short time that we had her, felt as if we'd lost a child of our own. Had I known then what I know now my daughter never would have gotten this child, this angel back.
This was traumatic on both sides. Oh, don't worry. Apparently my daughter made it much easier for my grandaughter to go home and told her we TOOK her. Conveniently leaving out the part of the drug raid that led up to us offering to keep her for awhile. Something my daughter agreed to willingly. Maybe that hurt worse than anything was that outright lie that made us become the equivelant to kidnappers in this child's eyes. We don't hear from her either. She's been gone two years. They come and collect Christmas presents and leave.
So, I've been there. I've walked in those shoes and know you can't just tear a child away from the home she knew, the family she knew. If you can't take care of a child don't have one! Otherwise, accept the consequences of what you do.
Just so this is clear I know there might be some occasions when it is helpful if someone can take your child on a temporary basis. I can't think of any myself but I'm sure it happens. Temporary, when dealing with children is charted in a matter of months not years.
I think the child, Anna should be able to stay with the family that raised her.
<a href="http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=a56de018-7c86-48b3-878f-56ffb2af0881">Anna Mae</a>
