[LadyPox]

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Social workers have removed an 8-year-old Ohio boy who weighs more than 200 pounds from his family, saying his mother had not done enough to control his weight.

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reports the Cleveland Heights boy has been placed in foster care, apparently the first time Cuyahoga County or state officials knew of a child being removed from a parent solely because of a weight issue.

Mary Louise Madigan, a spokeswoman for the Department of Children and Family Services in Cuyahoga County, said the county has no policy on obese children but removed the boy because case workers considered his mother's failure to reduce his weight a form of medical neglect.

"This child's problem was so severe that we had to take custody," Madigan said.

She said the agency had worked with the mother more than a year before going to Juvenile Court to seek custody.

The mother of the third-grader disputes officials' claims she hadn't followed a doctor's orders.

A lawyer representing the mother, a substitute elementary school teacher, said the boy's condition does not present an imminent danger to his health and pointed to the emotional impact of the child's being removed from his family, school and friends.

"I think we would concede that some intervention is appropriate," Juvenile Public Defender Sam Amata said. "But what risk became imminent? When did it become an immediate problem?"

Children are typically removed from homes because of physical abuse, neglect or undernourishment.

Amata said the boy was on the honor roll and participated in school activities.

He has only one medical condition, sleep apnea, treated with a machine he wears at night that helps monitor breathing.

"They are trying to make it seem like I am unfit, like I don't love my child," the boy's mother said. "Of course I love him. Of course I want him to lose weight. ... It is very hard, but I am trying."

The Plain Dealer did not name the mother or boy because it generally does not identify those involved in abuse cases.

[MeMyselfandI]

Originally Posted by LadyPox ↗

"Of course I want him to lose weight. ... It is very hard, but I am trying."

No shit it's hard...but it shouldn't be that hard

[DollHead]

I don't understand how they could let the kid THAT big

[Steve]

If it isn't a medical problem then the kid is troughing too much and who's fault is that? bet the mom is a fucking whale.

[slapchoppa]

200 pounds, at 8 years old? that's really depressing

[Degb69]

Originally Posted by slapchoppa ↗

200 pounds, at 8 years old? that's really depressing

Yes it is. My 7 year old weighs 38 lbs.

[kellyhound]

Cuyahoga County Children and Family services thinks they have made their case for having to remove him.

The timeline of this case goes back to March, 2010, when the boy, who was 7 at the time, was taken to the hospital for breathing problems.

At the time, he weighed over 200 pounds.

In June 2010, he was put under Protective Supervision of Juvenile Court, but was still living at home while professionals worked with the boy and his mother to try to get his weight under control.

In December 2010, the boy turned eight, and weighed 196.

A few months later he was up to 215. This past March, the court's supervision was continued, while they kept working with the boy and his mother.

But on October 19, the county decided the child's health was in danger and he was removed from his home and placed in foster care.

Then four weeks ago, his mother asked the court to return her son to her. The boys turns nine in a couple weeks and that's the date his mother finds out if she'll get him back.

But while away from his mother in foster care for his own health, the child is having dreams of dying, is wetting the bed, and is anxious that the world is going to end in 2012.

[D0pestgh0st]

over feeding a child is child abuse, nobody to blame but the parents. especially at such a young age

[D0pestgh0st]

I'm shit at maths but I just worked it out into british measurements that 200lb is just over 14st. That really is bad

[rapeWhistle]

When an 8yr old weighs more than me... i'd say something ain't right.