I hope the authorities in this town actually take the extra step to fully investigate this woman's case instead taking action based on assumptions. Everyone deserves at least that much. Is it such a big deal to get an appropriate translator?

Just give the baby to Bruno.

This is clearly a ridiculous case. It is unfortunate that things like this still occur, however the state isn't solely to blame here. Ms. Cruz chose to enter illegally, came into the states knowing only an obscure language, and did not have any safeguards in place. Aside from that some things don't add up and I am wondering if racewire is chosing to leave certain facts out.

What doesn't add up:
1) She has her own home and business and yet is in Mississippi illegally.
2) She was pregnant and still here. If you have your own business and a decent home it is quite suspicious to enter another country illegally while(do we know if she was pregnant before she entered the country?) pregnant?

I hope she gets her daughter back as no family should ever be apart under such circumstances. However, this mess is of her own making despite the failures of the state.

She deserves he child back.

I hope the authorities in this town actually take the extra step to fully investigate this woman's case instead taking action based on assumptions..

And since when does a woman lose his child because she's an illegal immigrant and can't speak English?

Are those things now a forfeiture to motherhood??

ship em both back. why would anyone want to keep that baby?

"Is it such a big deal to get an appropriate translator?"

I was a translator in Colorado for a few years, and I can tell you: IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM for translators. Due to tiny regional differences, you have to be extremely patient in some cases. The nearest I can get to this case is a guy from Guatemala who spoke little Spanish, but communicated in his native language.

Puerto Rican and Mexican Spanish is very different already, and it seems like Cirilia spoke little Spanish, so I wouldn't blame the interpreter on this one. I think this is a case more of ignorance (as are most cases of racism and discrimination) than of hatred. I hope a positive solution is reached before this turns into yet another political debate that ends up doing more harm in international relations than good to welfare of the people.

This is unbelievable. I am not far from Pascagoula and this is just rediculous. Only in Mississippi... *eyeroll*

Finding a translator, in this case, seems like it would have been impractical to impossible.

Given the inability to communicate medical needs to the mother, the appropriate course of action would have been to appoint a guardian ad litem (perhaps a CPS case worker, I don't know how that is handled in MS).

It sounds like the state went much further here, actually pushing the child into the foster care system. That, IMHO, is just plain evil.

Doctors should have released the child to the mother. If the mother is returning to Mexico, her child should be able to return with her. Her ability to raise a child in Mexico is none of our government's business.

The only exception I can see is if she has been placed in custody awaiting deportation, which might make taking care of a child impractical. Regardless, when she is actually deported, the child should go with her.

The child's natural-born US citizenship should be considered, but since it is clear the mother can't hold a job or support a family here, I don't think the mother should be at the front of the line for obtaining residency or legal immigrant status.

Am I supposed to feel bad for this woman for illegally coming to America and using our health care for free so that her son can be an American citizen? She took the risk, it's her fault and not the hospital officials that this article is demonizing. Why didn't she have the baby in her hometown where she lives and owns a business? Because she was trying to get better, safer care without paying. Her son is doing great and will have a better life with the "affluent ocean springs couple." She just won't be able to see or talk to him. Basically, own up to your actions, don't come to America looking for a free ride and speaking a random foreign dialect expecting grade A special treatment and then be SHOCKED when that doesn't happen.

Seems pretty cut and dry; give this woman back her baby and promptly deport them both back to Mexico.

omg cindy great job on this story this is way sad.

That kid is an American and should stay in America! If the mother is here illegally, than she needs to go, but she can't take an American Citizen with her.

Fuck you, Joe. The child is hers. Again. Fuck. You.

WTF?!

They took her kid because she was an illegal immigrant. That should be grounds to sue right there. This is outrageous! Negligent and unfit are not defined by being an illegal immugrant. There surely has to be more to this that the article reveals. Although having seen some of the phoney pseudo-caring monsters in social services in action this may be all there is to it.

Who are these incompetent idiots and where can I write them?

Sadly, I a am not surprised at all by te adoption industy machine using such horrid tactics to separate yet another mother and child. The fact is this kind of treatment happens in this country every day, but frequently to American born English speaking mothers as well simply because there is big money to be made in finding adoptable infants. Their defination of unfit all too frequently rests on the damand for infants. I am sure the translation aonly made some agencies job easier.
The sad part is that I woun't be surpirsed if the "nice couple", who was also unwillingly duped into a corrupot system, will feel entitled and fight for a baby that should rightfully be with her family.
Fac is.. adoption is a lousy and corrupt system in Maerica all run on profit. If it was happening in another country we would called it child trafficing and kidnapping.
Claudia Corrigan D'Arcy
www.musingsofthelame.com

Since when is it considered an "extra step" to fully investigate a situation before taking action?

I don't speak French. If I was in France and gave birth, everyone posting here would be up in arms if French social services stole my baby.

What we need is to know the identities of the "affluent Ocean Springs couple" who think this is an acceptable way to "adopt" a child.

Interpreter suggested that she, the interpreter had a rich couple who could take her, the mother and baby to live with them and would give the baby everything baby needed and a job to mother. When mother rejected idea, interpreter got angry. Mother's cousin was willing to translate but interpreter and social worker kicked him out of the room 2x at the threat of police. Mother says she never said she wanted to give baby up. This information is on a radio interview in mother's native language through another interpreter, and on a television interview on Telemundo also through mother's interpreter. Mississippi is notorious for violating people's rights. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Executive Order 13166 states that courts and hospitals that receive federal funding (medicaid for eg) must provide accused and patients with interpreters in their native language. Hardly ever done in Mississippi. Before people accuse the immigrant's rights group of putting words into the mother's mouth, or the mother changing her story because the activists "taught her how!" one should have all of the facts. I am sure there are many more facts on this case that none of us are aware of.

Besides, we must not lose focus: 1) Merely entertaining the idea that a mother's rights can be terminated solely because she does not speak English or any other language, is illiterate, etc., is putting gay rights, women rights, etc. BACK 500 years. 2) If we are going to start using a person's immigration status to determine whether that person is a fit or unfit parent, we are all in deep trouble. What about all of the children of US soldiers, citizens, tourist and otherwise born outside of the US borders and on airplanes? What would happen if those countries start taking those kids away? What would we do? 3) Not having a crib, formula, and clothes before the arrival of a baby should never constitute as neglect. For one most Latino women and women of color breast feed their children usually into they are 2 and sometimes even until 4 and 5 years old. This is a country where cribs, clothes, car seats, formula, diapers etc., are given away a dime a dozen.

I believe Judge Sharon Sigalas, like any other appointed official and human being is not perfect; but can and should take a real look at the reasons why this woman's life, her babies, the other siblings, and extended family are having their lives changed for ever based on the accusations of one interpreter who could not clearly communicate with the accused, while she still has time to acknowledge wrong doings and correct them. Making mistakes is not as important as it is accepting one made one and then apologizing and correcting it.

It is very sad to hear things like this happening. For those of you who are saying that they should send them both, mother and baby, back to Mexico, and have said racist BS. You people make me laugh. IGNORANTES!! De Verdad que me dan Lastima... people Please get educated before you open your mouth. I actually feel more sorry for you racist people than for the mother and her child.

when is it that we all get it through our heads that an AMERICAN doesnt really exist...that we all came here from a different country, at one point or another, and yes even the native americans, aren't native. or maybe the fact that this entire country was built by the sweat of the back of the poor man, and or the slave, and or immigrants from other countries.....im sorry but without them we wouldn't have this country or an economy..just my two cents.

You are all focussing on the mother and her virtue or lack thereof. The child is at high risk for attachment problems as a result of being removed and then possibly re-removed. Those usually charged with "child protection" often fail to consider the trauma of unnessary removal in their haste to do their job.