Sit down with your coffee cup. This won’t be a pleasant read. An occasional sip of something hot may be needed.
On June 3 2001, I officiated the wedding ceremony of Paul and Zabeth Bayne. Among the words in my concluding prayer was this excerpt. “Now Lord God, would you allocate to them according to Your will, those assignments which will bless them and augment their characters as they walk together. Give them only enough tears to keep them tender, enough wounds to remind them they are human, enough failure to keep their hands tightly clenched in Yours, and enough success to convince them that they are walking by faith with You.”
They could never have anticipated that six years later in 2007 a nightmare of such ferocity would begin that would challenge their sanity not to mention their faith. But the two of them have remained sane and deeply committed to God. The government of British Columbia has taken their children and is not giving them back. Sane yes, but the Baynes are deeply wounded and the agony is not over. As I tell you their story over the next several days, I urge you to engage the question, “What would I do if I were in their shoes?” I believe that they are doing all that they can and they should not have to be doing this at all. Their children should not be enduring this separation from their parents any longer. This should be concluded now.
Because our paths in life diverged several years ago I was not aware of this dilemma until reading about it on Facebook one day recently. Now I have educated myself about it and I believe that something that is terribly wrong needs to be made right.
I urge you as a reader not to dismiss the case prematurely. None other than noted lawyer Doug Christie has involved himself in their cause to have their children returned to them. I am trusting that I can convince you with some information so that you will make the contribution of a letter to the proper authorities. I will direct you.
Here are the essential details of this troublesome case. Zabeth and Paul have three children, two sons ages five (on Oct 18) and four and a two year old daughter. These children were apprehended on October 22, 2007 because the couple was suspected of shaking the small girl causing her a head injury. This was an understandable precaution taken by the Ministry at the time. The Baynes had stated that one of their sons had fallen on the baby but they were not believed. Shaken Baby Syndrome has now become a suspect diagnosis because of wrongful accusations that result from this rush to judgment without a more aggressive medical investigation.
Here are some YouTube posted videos.
This one will break your heart. A CBC reporter interviews and investigates.
This one is disturbing as it discloses the childrens’ experiences while in government childcare.
Look at Zabeth’s Blog site.
I will give you increasingly more information in the next few postings. Then, I will be urging you to write a letter requesting the return of the children to Paul and Zabeth, and I will give you specifics to whom you should direct these communications.
This makes me feel like throwing up. I cannot believe that conclusions would be jumped to like this. It is even more upsetting when I consider that an acquaintance of mine (through my son's school) knew of real abuse happening in a former friend's home and reported it and NOTHING was done - other than a home visit. What's even worse is that the abuser's own parents reported her and still NOTHING was done. There is genuine fear for those children's very lives, yet... nothing.
ReplyDeleteBut here we have a case where there is no proof of any abuse, just a simple case of an accident. Yet the ministry leaps into action?
I don't understand the great disparity. There is something very, very wrong with the system. We do not live in a nazi-like state. Where did our right to a fair trial go? What about presumption of innocence?
Naomi, thank you for your comment and your concern. We certainly are concerned here and if enough of us are, perhaps the mounting publicity will require the Ministry of Children and Family Development to do an internal investigation of its own and clean house.
ReplyDeleteThis happens more often with the Social System. I remember a time when I told a friend of mine not to let them in your home anymore! And don't ever let them take your baby!! They (Social Services' representatives) are not always judging situations correctly and are just protecting their jobs instead of really doing a family justice.
ReplyDeleteAnother family I know was so broken, it is impossible to put it back together naturally speaking!
We need to speak out against these tragedies! Give the children back to the parents who really love and care for them! Learn the facts of the situation and do the right thing!
What has been done to this family is a great injustice! Just goes to show you that things aren't always as they seem. Paul and Zabeth are very nice people and very tormented as are their children from all of this. God bless you guys! You know that I'm behind you all the way! Peace be with your family. xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteSuzie USA
Everyone who has a child better beware if thier child ever has a cut or bruise from playing or falling because the government will use this as an excuse to steal the child and put the child in a foster home. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC WILL STAND UP TO THIS CRUEL BEHAVIOUR, THE PUBLIC WORKS SO HARD ON THE ENVIRONMENT, RECYLING, HELPING THE WHALES, WERE IS OUR COMPASION FOR ONE ANOTHER. Imagine the terror of a child to be stolen from his or her family and put in a foster home.
ReplyDeleteI think the government has way to much power, they do as they please and make us pay the consequences. I feel very sad that some one can take children away just because they think that there may be a problem. Shaken baby syndrome is a serious problem, it looks like the daughter from the doctors perspective doesn't have this. I think that the kids should be under a doctors care that doesn't have any ties the CPS and render a clear cut diagnosis then the Bayne family along with the CPS can choose the right path for the children. I think that Canadians are very complacent with our government, we as tax payers pay their wage. We should do like the Europeans do protest in the hundred thousands, they protest and usually get what they see is fare, and the government is afraid of the people and that is what we should be doing. So give the children back to the Bayne family because you have no evidence to keep them and the government should give then the right to specialists to treat the children.
ReplyDeleteMike that was good of you to dip back to the beginning of the story and to comment when you did.
ReplyDelete