A heartbreaking moment has gone viral after a mother, still recovering from childbirth, pleaded tearfully during a Facebook Live as police officers and representatives from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) removed her newborn baby from her hospital room.
The video, shared widely across social media, shows the mother sobbing and begging officials not to take her child, while family members in the background—her sister and grandmother—offer to assume custody on the spot.
Despite these emotional appeals and apparent family support, the authorities proceeded with the removal, sparking outrage from viewers who called the incident "inhumane" and "traumatizing." The viral clip, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views, shows the mother repeatedly asking, “Why are you doing this to me?” and “Can’t my baby stay with family?”
According to individuals close to the family, DCFS cited an open child welfare case related to a prior incident involving the mother as grounds for removal.
However, family advocates argue that the decision to bypass the immediate family—particularly close relatives ready and willing to care for the infant—is not only damaging to the newborn’s well-being but also violates principles of kinship care that DCFS claims to uphold.
The mother’s sister, who was present in the video, can be heard saying, “I have a safe home. I’ll take the baby. Why won’t you let me?” Meanwhile, the grandmother pleaded with officers, emphasizing her stability and prior caregiving experience. Both offers appeared to be dismissed by officials on the scene.
Legal experts and child welfare activists have weighed in online, stating that while DCFS has the authority to act quickly in certain situations, the disregard for familial placement raises red flags.
The traumatic nature of such removals, especially within hours of birth, can have lasting psychological effects on both mother and child, they note.
As public pressure mounts, DCFS has not released an official statement. Advocacy groups are calling for a full investigation into the case, transparency in the removal process, and greater accountability when family alternatives are overlooked.
This incident is now becoming a rallying point for reform discussions surrounding child protective services, particularly regarding how and when newborns are taken from their mothers in hospitals—and whether families are being unjustly sidelined in moments of crisis.
