Federal Lawsuit: Massachusetts Wrongly Took Child 2 Days After Birth Because Mother was Disabled

Two days after giving birth to her daughter, the state took away 19 year old Sara Gordon's baby because Sara has a developmental disability, and placed her baby in foster care. The federal government says the state violated her civil rights by discriminating against her because of her disability. The National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency advising the White House and Congress, says the case points up a growing problem: states needlessly taking custody of the children of disabled parents. "Parents with disabilities are suffering significant discrimination," said Robyn Powell, an attorney for the council. "What happened to this mother is very common ... States are removing these children for the sole reason of their parents having a disability."