Michigan Parents Falsely Accused of Abusing Own Child by Child Abuse Specialist Have Case Dismissed

Heather Catallo of ABC7 in Detroit is reporting that a family falsely accused of child abuse by Dr. Bethany Mohr of Mott Children’s Hospital has had their case dismissed in court. “I thought we lived in America where you were innocent until you were proven guilty," Allie Parker told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo. "We were guilty until we proved we were innocent.” Child Protective Services workers removed Dylan and 1-year-old Isabella from the Parkers' care, and for 3 weeks Allie and Jimmy were not allowed to see their babies at all. “Parents have a constitutional right to parent their children,” said attorney Lisa Kirsch Satawa. “And when you interrupt a breast-feeding mom and child you are disrupting the bond, you’re disrupting the ability to parent.” Satawa says she knew she needed to bring in outside experts when she saw Dr. Mohr’s statement in her report that “Dylan’s bruising is diagnostic of physical abuse.” After 8 months and a lengthy trial, a Wayne County judge dismissed the case and apologized to the Parkers saying in his ruling, “I heard a lot deeper science from some of the other witnesses than I heard from Dr. Mohr.”

10-Month Old Baby Medically Kidnapped in Michigan

Michigan parents Josh Soto and Alexandria Burgess took their ten month old baby girl Selena to the pediatrician on September 1, 2015 because she was fussy, tugging on her ears, cutting teeth, had severe diaper rash, and seemed to have pain in her legs. The pediatrician didn’t seem concerned, and gave her Benedryl and a cortisone cream for her diaper rash. He suggested that they keep an eye on her but didn’t note any concerns. Ten days later, on September 11, 2015, Selena’s pain seemed to have increased so they took her to the E.R. of a local hospital, Promedica-Bixby in Adrian, MI. The attending nurse initially ordered a hip x-ray, but Alexandria and Josh requested that they x-ray her legs, too, to be thorough. When the doctor came back into the room she said she had two broken legs, and asked “How did this happen?” They were referred to the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan where a child abuse doctor determined that Selena had been abused, and had Child Protection services take custody of the child. The mother states: "We did everything we were supposed to as parents, and yet still found ourselves in this nightmare. This time, these moments with her.....we never get it back. Her first birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, her first time saying 'Momma', her first steps.....all away from home. All ruined by this nightmare we've been thrown into."