AN EMERGENCY child care order has been granted to the Child and Family Agency for a 16 year old girl and her newborn baby boy to be taken into the care of the State.
The matter came before the courts for the second time last Friday when the State agency sought the care order after it emerged that the 16-year-old girl, gave birth to her baby after a concealed pregnancy in the back garden of her home.
When the girl presented at the hospital after she gave birth at home, the court was told that she was “traumatised and in complete shock”.
The HSE was notified and made an immediate application through the Child and Family Agency to have the girl and her two day old son taken into care. An emergency care order was granted and the Child and Family Agency were now seeking an interim care order.
The presiding judge was given a brief outline of the history surrounding the case and the basis on which the Child and Family Agency were applying for the care order.
The young girl’s family had a history, which was known to the agency, of issues surrounding hygiene and neglect.
The social worker said that the teenage girl has a “mild learning disability” and that there were “huge concerns surrounding her capacity to consent to sexual intercourse”.
The interim care order was granted after the Judge heard that the father of the child was not known but a paternity test was to be carried out as soon as possible.
The girl and her child are in separate foster care environments but the court heard that the girl had spent some time with her child. The baby was born at full term and was in good health.
The matter was adjourned to allow the HSE apply to extend the period of emergency care and seek a supervision order.
