Heroic ER doctor fighting on coronavirus frontline has her four-year-old daughter TAKEN AWAY

[OhioChick]

Heroic ER doctor fighting on coronavirus frontline has her four-year-old daughter TAKEN AWAY from her by judge who grants custody to her ex husband 'due to her significantly heightened exposure to Covid-19'

A heroic ER doctor who risks her life every day on the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak has lost custody of her daughter until the pandemic is over.

Dr. Theresa Greene, an emergency room physician in Florida, has temporarily lost shared custody of her four-year-old daughter because of her work saving lives during the coronavirus crisis.

Her ex-husband filed for temporary sole custody of the little girl 'due to mother's significantly heightened exposure to COVID-19' and a judge granted it - even though Greene has tested negative for the deadly virus.

Greene is now facing an impossible and 'cruel' choice between being a mother and her duty as a medic while the US healthcare system buckles under the weight of the pandemic and grapples to find enough healthcare workers to keep COVID-19 patients alive.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8209721/Heroic-ER-doctor-frontline-coronavirus-outbreak-daughter-taken-away-judge.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. This is horrible. I'm sure the ex justifies this by saying it's for his daughter's safety.

And I'll bet he has issues over his ex's shared custody of HIS daughter.

What a loathsome thing to do.

[rainin]

2. Unless the ex was unfit, I'm not sure why the mom didn't

temporarily place the child with her dad voluntarily. Her exposure at work places the child at increased risk. There must be more to the story. I never want to see a child taken from a mother, but, wouldn't it be safer for the child to be somewhere where the exposure is limited? My daughter has quit her job at a grocery store to protect my elderly mom. It was just too much of a threat to have her coming home after a shift and possibly shedding the virus for the weeks before she would show symptoms.

I am eternally grateful to the mom for her service. I hope the mom stays healthy and her child is returned immediately after the threat has subsided.

[pnwmom]

19. The child herself is in the lowest risk group, even if she caught it from a parent. n/t

[OhioChick]

26. I couldn't agree with you more, you're absolutely right n/t

[rainin]

34. The child probably won't die -- is of little comfort

Here is a link to a 6 week old who died of COVID19:

https://www.today.com/health/6-week-old-may-be-youngest-person-die-coronavirus-t177363

And here is a link to a story of a 4 year old who was found with her dead mother after 16-18 hours. The mom was a healthcare worker who died leaving the young child alone

https://nypost.com/2020/03/24/child-left-with-moms-dead-body-for-over-12-hours-after-she-died-of-coronavirus/

Am I missing something? The child is going to be with her father, not a rapist, or a wife-beater. He's her father and a judge cited the child's safety as the reason she was "temporarily" placed with the father.

The healthcare worker is probably exhausted. Food and supplies are stretched thin. Healthcare workers are working long hours in extraordinarily difficult conditions. The child is being cared for by her father.

That she had to be placed by a court is unfortunate, but I would like to know why the mom resisted her staying with the father until this is over. It seems like the safest option.

[pnwmom]

35. They had shared custody. They could have continued that arrangement.

The risk to the child is probably less than the trauma of losing the time with her mom.

[rainin]

43. No one can quantify the child's risk any more than the degree

she is traumatized can be quantified. So many assumptions were made in that sentence. Apparently, the judge thinks the father can meet the child's needs. Hopefully, the child's psychological needs were considered.

If I were in the mom's shoes, I believe I would want my children to be in a place with the lowest risk of exposure until the worst of this is behind me. Why are we assuming the mom is a victim here? Maybe she is, maybe she isn't. The bottom line is that the action was temporary, it was made in the best interest of the child's safety, and the child was given to her father.

There is nothing to see here unless there is reason to believe the father is an unfit parent.

[kcr]

47. Returned immediately and then she files for full custody

for the unnecessary trauma her asshole ex caused.

[gollygee]

65. It could be traumatic for a child to be away from a parent for potentially months at that age

and she is in little danger from the virus. Great potential for trauma.

[lunasun]

3. Exposure to 4 yr old? unless immunocompromised they are not seeing it I thought in that age group

No exhibiting symptoms

[colorado_ufo]

12. This is not true. It most certainly has been seen in children of this age and younger.

[Thekaspervote]

15. Yes! A one yr old here in Illinois died

[pnwmom]

20. Babies are in the high risk group, but 4 year olds aren't. n/t

[colorado_ufo]

64. I just saw a news video last night.

It was an interview with a lady pediatrician, who has a four year old daughter, had her daughter contract the virus and be hospitalized with severe breathing difficulty. Fortunately, the child survived.

[pnwmom]

66. The percentile risk is very low. This argument, if accepted, would mean that

no doctor who's exposed to contagious diseases could have custody of her children.

[lunasun]

25. Thanks for update - that's why I said "I thought" in the post wasnt sure last I read

they could have it but don’t exhibit symptoms , get ill, or if they did ,they had underlying issues
Healthy children now - that’s heartbreaking

[pnwmom]

36. In babies, yes. Not in 4 year olds. n/t

[pnwmom]

33. They aren't seeing children being sick with it, but they can carry it. n/t

[secondwind]

4. Perhaps her long hours had something to do with this.

[Maru Kitteh]

23. Too bad she doesn't have a penis, then she could be "hard-working"

and a "good provider."

Christ almighty. How many weeks at a time does Princess Ibonku leave her spawn behind?


THIS is what happens when you get misogynistic right-wingnut judges all over the court system.

[Jamastiene]

40. THIS.

Exactly.

[secondwind]

46. Ivanka has help around the clock.......

This nurse doesn’t.

[smirkymonkey]

54. +1000

[MLAA]

55. You nailed it

[Mariana]

5. It's not like the kid went to a foster home.

She's with her dad, temporarily.

[Indykatie]

8. These Divorced Parents Must Have a Really Bad Relationship

Given the stress and long hours of work not to mention risk of infection to the mother and child I'd think the parents might come to this arrangement voluntarily. Why expose your child to the additional risk even if they are not immuno-compromised?

[sheshe2]

6. So.

If a married couple, one a nurse or doctor with exposure has children do they get taken away as well? I mean the mom or dad comes home from work they have been exposed. Are we planning to take every child away from there parents? Where do we put them. This disease is highly contagious the dad is not immune. None of us are.

The ruling was ridiculous as was dads complaint.

[Tumbulu]

9. Around here medical people are staying in trailers or hotels and not

Going home to expose their families.

There are groups locating trailers to lend physicians and nurses and other medical people exposed. Because none of them want to expose their family members.

I’ve also heard of hotel rooms being provided. It is very hard for everyone, but especially healthcare workers!

[sheshe2]

10. Well

I have a family member that is a nurse in CCU. Three kids no one else to care for them as husband works as well. This may be going on for a year or more. should she be separated from her family for a year?

Perhaps if they were provided proper PPE from this Admin this wouldn't be an issue. She gets a frigging raincoat and one mask per day. She has brought HER OWN SUPPLIES to share with her fellows as Don and his minions seize the supplies that states have already purchased.

[OhioChick]

27. This

Very well stated with extremely good points!

[Jamastiene]

41. Has anyone figured out why they are seizing supplies yet?

I'm surprised this is not trending everywhere. Why are they doing that?

You are right. If they had proper PPE, this wouldn't even been a problem. They can create a airlock/clean area between the garage and the house. I have read where a lot of healthcare workers are doing that successfully. So, it IS doable.

Taking custody of their kids forcefully is beyond cruel. Why should they be punished for trying to save lives?

[Maru Kitteh]

42. So captain chili-cheese shitstain can decide which nurses live and die.

It's really that simple. Same as the vents.

[Tumbulu]

60. I am so sorry and I don't know the solution to this nightmare

That in my opinion has been amplified by Trump and his cabal.

I am just saying that that is what many people around here ( N CA) are doing. Maybe when they get stocked with proper equipment, maybe when the surges in patient load diminish health care workers will feel safe being around their families.

I don’t like people using this pandemic to do things to their exes that are not fair. I am just saying that all over the country people are reacting very differently to this in their personal and professional lives.

I am stumped and distraught by it all.

Sending you my best sheshe2, I love your posts, I am so sorry that your family member and the rest of the health care community is being so mistreated and undersupplied. I do not think this is an effect of bumbling either, I think these republicans have done this on purpose.

[Demovictory9]

7. sad. LA station had segment on shared custody during these times. Divorce atty said

yes, COVID 19 is now a topic in shared custody

[BlueLucy]

11. Who the hell would use a pandemic against a mother in a custody dispute?!!!!

[RB TexLa]

16. You mean against a parent, right? The gender doesn't matter.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. Who wouldn't want to move their child to a safer environment for the time being?

Especially in a situation where there was already a shared custody situation.

My partner is treating patients with covid 19. I consider myself radioactive at this point - meaning I feel like my social distancing is for other people’s benefit not mine.

My partner’s mom is on strict lockdown as she is 76 and has respiratory issues. She lives 3 hours away so we don’t normally interact with her on a regular basis. But we wouldn’t dream of going near her until this blows over. Other siblings are dropping off groceries for her.

Consider the fact the farther may be genuinely frightened/concerned/scared to death.

[pnwmom]

37. But healthy children that age (not babies) are at very little risk -- nothing like a 76 yr old.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

50. That's bullshit. No one knows that.

[Phoenix61]

57. Yes, they do know that.

Originally, they thought children weren’t contracting covid-19. Through testing, they learned they were contracting it but were asymptomatic. They closed all the schools to prevent children from passing it amongst themselves then to adults.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

62. First, not all. Second, where is the peer reviewed study.

Third, Just google child dies from covid.

No one knows with any certainty what’s going on with this virus. To say kids are somehow not at risk is irresponsible.

[Phoenix61]

63. You can look at hospitalizations

and see that young children, as an age group are, thankfully, underrepresented.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1105402/covid-hospitalization-rates-us-by-age-group/

[Hassin Bin Sober]

68. .

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142486767

[Mariana]

18. I think the father's request was quite reasonable.

The risk of the child getting infected is higher if she's living with her mother. Do you think she shouldn't be permitted to stay with her father while this is going on?

[pnwmom]

38. I think the shared custody arrangement could have continued. n/t

[Sophiegirl]

13. Speaking from experience

I bet this has more to do with his paying child support than anything else.

After five years divorced, I asked for a raise in child support. My ex immediately filed for custody and called me an unfit mother because I sometimes had sandwiches for dinner. It was ugly. He was a cheap bastard. Never spent a dime on his kids other than his mandated child support. I needed surgery one summer and he “babysitted” the kids but still make me pay for child care. He made 3 times what I made. It was all about the money.

[OhioChick]

14. This was my initial thought, as well n/t

[jberryhill]

44. One might think they both have high incomes

Considering her occupation, I’d guess income is not an issue.

[kcr]

49. Exactly. They're using their kids as pawns in a game.

I would hope the people rationalizing this ridiculous decision don't think the majority of the exes of health workers who don't pull crap like this simply don't care enough about their kids.

[AlexSFCA]

21. children under 5 are in increased risk category

the judge made the right decision to protect the child, not the mother. I would make exact same decision because what if the child contracts covid-19 and gets seriously ill? Why take such a risk when her dad is available? It is reckless, especially with PPE shortage. Doctors are dying is tragedy but kids didn’t choose this. Kudos to the father who cares about his daughter and was willing to fight.

[Duppers]

22. What a horrible choice to have to make.

Especially with her testing negative.

This judge made a mistake.

[AlexSFCA]

24. tests negative today, positive tomorrow

is she gonna be taking test everyday? Judge couldn’t care less about the mother, it’s all about the child.

[James48]

29. Good.

I’m sorry to have to say it, but the safety of the child trumps a “heroic” action by the mother. Child safety comes first.

The judge who made that decision has more information to work with than we do. I support the difficult decisions that the judge has to make.

[OnDoutside]

31. I agree, and it frees up the mother to concentrate on her heroic efforts.

[Alwaysna]

30. If I was the child's mother I would..

Have already tried searching for a safe place for my daughter. The custody is temporary. Kids are too precious to take a chance.
If the girl did catch the virus she would be miserable and possible die as there are healthy children dying. This virus ,if she survived it, damages viral organ such as lungs.
No I wouldn't take the chance with her. Your child is not replaceable.
If there were other issues,like alcohol abuse or other abuse , then that would not be a valid option.

[still_one]

53. +++

[Sapient Donkey]

67. This is one of those cases with a lot questions and not many answers.

The fact they couldn't seem to work something out themselves tells us there is some hostility there from one or the other, or perhaps even both. I didn't see enough in the article to give me any understanding of this specific situation.

[missingthebigdog]

32. So, should healthcare workers EVER be allowed custody?

This judge (and, apparently, a significant number of people here) has concluded that the mother’s heightened risk of exposure to Covid-19 makes her, temporarily, unfit to parent her child. Aren’t healthcare workers ALWAYS at a heightened risk of exposure to contagious diseases?

Covid-19 is scary and serious; I am not trying to minimize that. But so are Measles, Influenza, Hepatitis, HIV, and myriad other diseases. Healthcare workers are constantly at risk of exposure to these diseases, why aren’t Courts deeming them unfit routinely? How is this different?

[lostnfound]

39. Bus drivers, cops, EMTs...people who work in labs with hot viruses..

Oh wait, that last group has oodles of PPE.
It’s only now it’s a problem because our society sends them in to risk their lives without protection.

[jberryhill]

59. Maybe the judge had a complete set of facts...

...about the circumstances of all of these particular individuals, and made a judgement that applies to these individuals. It does not seem that the judge proposed that every single case be decided on the basis of the limited facts available from an online publication which sells advertising based on how many viewers it gets.

Just a hunch.

[live love laugh]

45. Betting the ex is Republican nt

[ismnotwasm]

48. Know why he's a ex. I guess.

Jesus

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

51. Can't figure out why so many here are so condemning of the dad.

I agree with those who don't quite understand why the mom didn't have the girl stay with the dad for the duration of this.

My 36 year old niece, divorced, two young children (10 and 8) got sick recently with what was probably the Corona Virus. The kids went to stay with their dad while she recovered. Sensible decision.

[jberryhill]

58. Because he is obviously evil.

They’re divorced. He’s a man. Clearly no additional facts could possibly be needed. The judge is obviously corrupt, stupid, etc..

People online, who don’t have access to any filings, testimony, or expert opinions, are usually in a much better position to decide these kinds of things in an unbiased way.

[still_one]

52. Unless I read it wrong, doesn't it say "temporarily" lost shared custody? I would assume that

means when the health crisis is over, the arrangement would go back to what it was before

There is so much unknown regarding this virus, I suspect that was what resulted in the decision

[exboyfil]

56. My first question when I heard

My SILs cousin who is a doctor had CV was where were her kids. I would want my kids with a trusted family member if I worked in a hot zone. I am actually not interacting with anyone besides my wife and two daughters. My one daughter is a nurse, and that is the primary reason.

I can't imagine a relationship is so bad that the child doesn't come first.

[Runningdawg]

61. When do we take away the children of those who will be in church tomorrow?