OUR STORY
It all started on the sixteenth of April 2000. My 1 year old
daughter awoke from her midday nap in pain, her left leg swollen like
a balloon. Although she was not crying in agony if left untouched, I
could tell she was in pain. I took my daughter to the ER for them to
look at her, and the doctors ordered X-rays be taken. After
examining the X-rays this is what they told me:
"Your daughter has a spiral fracture of her left femur, a slight
fracture of her right tibia, and old fractures in each ankle in
varied stages of healing, as well as a clavicle fracture."
I was shocked and dismayed by what I had just heard! They began to
accuse me of child abuse, and treated me with no respect as the
parent. I then contacted my wife to advise her of what I was told.
With no explanation as to how this could have happened, and due to
the fact that my daughter was fine that morning, the Doctors
contacted Child Protective Services to report us for suspected abuse.
As my wife came into to the ER, they questioned her about our
daughters injuries - still unsatisfied with our explanation that we
didn't know what happened, or how it could have happened.
Later that night we transported our daughter by Ambulance to a
children's hospital about an hour away to have her legs casted. My
wife went with CPS, who wanted to view our home and our neighbor's
home because that is where my daughter had been. While my wife and a
Detective were going through our house, CPS went to the neighbor's
home and took our two year old son away to place him in foster care.
While at the hospital the Pediatrician stated that my daughter did
not, nor had ever had a fracture in her clavicle bone, but that she
had an awkward curve to it. They told us it was nothing to worry
about. Needless to say they also took our daughter from us. I do
thank God that they put the children in my father's care, and not in
some strange foster home.
Knowing that neither my wife nor I, or anyone else had caused the
fractures, we started to do some research of our own. While doing so,
we found the words"Osteogeneisis Imperfecta" cropping up everywhere.
So I looked into it further.
This bone deficiency is very often mistaken for child abuse.
Although my daughter has not been tested YET, I know and everyone I
have spoken with knows, that she must have this disorder. She has
most of the characteristic of Type I OI of the mildest form.
So as of today April 26th, we still do not have our children nor have
we even been allowed to see them.
The reason I am doing this page is to help people with children, or
thinking of having children become aware of this condition. Parents
like myself and the thousands that have to fight for their children
want to make people aware that OI is commonly mistaken for child
abuse, and many families have been wrongly torn apart because of
this..
OI is not usually tested for at any stage of a child's life unless
there is significant deformity or multiple unexplained fractures.
Average Pediatric doctors may, if lucky, see one case of OI in their
entire careers.
Be aware of this. Please read more about this. My wife and I are
going through the hardest time of our lives right now. We have to
fight to prove we did nothing harmful, and then will have to raise
our child with the knowledge she can break a bone just from ordinary
activity, or walking around.
Please visit the OI Foundation's website to learn more about OI.
Educate yourself on this matter; educate your doctors; get involved
in you local government; work for the legislation involved. There
is no known cure for OI, but there is a legal cure for wrongful
accusations of child abuse and separation of families.
You never know when you may run into this problem. If you have any
questions about OI or comments about this, Please email me. I will be
glad to speak to anyone about it
Thank you,
James J Capone.
**Note** Thank you to Janet Scott for the help in editing of this page. Thanks for the help Janet, you
could tell I needed it :) ** |
