Brandon and Cynthia Ross with their two children shortly after the birth of their baby, Ryder.

Health Impact News Staff

A nightmare that no family would ever want to endure began back in 2014 when Brandon and Cynthia Ross brought their baby to the doctor because his leg was swollen. We published their story on MedicalKidnap.com:

Brandon and Cynthia Ross became concerned after noticing their baby’s leg was swollen. Even though Ryder was not crying excessively, had no bruises, red marks, or any outward signs of injury other than the swelling, the couple took him to the doctor for an examination.

After performing some x-rays and finding the infant with multiple fractures throughout his body, the doctors sent the family to the Maine Medical Center (MMC) for further evaluation. Before the couple understood the depths of the evaluation, they were deemed guilty of child abuse by officials at MMC.

Six days after Ryder was admitted to the hospital, the state of Maine chose to remove both Ryder and his two-year-old sister Rosalynn from their parents’ care.

However, blood work showed vitamin D and calcium deficiencies in the baby, and a doctor at Boston Medical Center diagnosed the baby with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which doctors say is not all that rare.

Brandon Ross with his two children.

Unfortunately, Brandon, the father, was arrested on child abuse charges:

Then on June 12, a grand jury indicted Brandon on 12 counts of abuse and was arrested by Bath police. His face was plastered in the newspapers and on television. “I was just floored I was like we still have all of this medical stuff going on I mean I know there is no way,” said Brandon Ross.

“We’re just normal people who were concerned about our children,” said Cynthia Ross. (Source.)

Tragically, Brandon’s father, the grandfather of the baby, committed suicide due to the mental anguish he suffered from seeing his son falsely accused and arrested:

On Father’s Day of 2014, just days after Brandon’s arrest, after telling the family he believed the state was out to get Brandon, Ryder’s seventy-four year old grandfather committed suicide, after writing a note falsely claiming responsibility for Ryder’s injuries.

In October of 2014, the true cause of the baby’s fractures was finally discovered. The little guy suffered from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). He, his mother, and his grandmother were diagnosed by Dr. Michael Holick at the Boston University Medical Center. Some of the symptoms of the various forms of EDS include calcium and vitamin D issues and more importantly, fractures. (Source.)

Brandon and Cynthia Ross.

In October of 2015, Cynthia posted the joyful news on their Facebook Page that the children were finally back home:

For those of you that have been waiting for an update, here it is:

18 months after we took Ryder to his doctor with concerns over his swollen leg, 16 months after my husbands name was wrongfully tarnished, 12 months after a highly anticipated trip to a world renowned specialist in Boston, 11 months after we shared our story with the state of Maine, 7 months after we told the world our story on 20/20, and after countless tears and prayers ROZALYNN AND RYDER ARE HOME FOREVER!

We are so thankful for this journey, for all we have learned, for those who have helped us through, for those who have tirelessly cared for our children, supervised visits, attended numerous meetings and appointments, and spent hours in uplifting conversations. Thank you!

However, Brandon’s name was still not cleared of the false charges. He took a plea deal by pleading “no contest” to two misdemeanor charges to get the case closed so their two children could come home back in 2015.

A few days ago (February, 2019), WMTW of Portland Maine reported that former Maine Governor Paul LePage pardoned Brandon Ross on Dec. 31, 2018. The Rosses just received the letter notifying them of the pardon last week.

A Maine father has been pardoned nearly five years after being accused of abusing his infant son.

Brandon Ross had said a medical condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome was the cause of his son’s injuries. It is a genetic condition that causes bones to be abnormally susceptible to fractures.

Former Gov. Paul LePage pardoned Ross on Dec. 31, 2018. Ross had petitioned the governor for clemency.

The Rosses received notice of the pardon this week.

Read the full story and watch the video at WMTW.