Health

Ohio Child Returned to Parents After 50 Pound Weight Loss

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP/The Blaze) — A 9-year-old boy removed from his mother’s custody after his weight ballooned to more than 200 pounds has slimmed down enough to return home.

The boy, who was placed in foster care last fall and then with an uncle, lost about 50 pounds over four months through exercise and healthy eating. He was returned to his mother under protective supervision in March, and a juvenile court judge in Cleveland released him from that supervision Thursday.

Social service workers still plan on checking in with the boy and his mother in Cleveland Heights and have offered them nutritional and health counseling. The YMCA also gave the boy and his mother a free membership.

“That’s the tremendous thing,” said John Lawson, an attorney who was appointed by a judge to act as a guardian during the court proceedings. “Let’s hope we never have to go back to court with this child.”

The boy was removed from his family over health concerns and placed in foster care in October after Cuyahoga County case workers said his mother wasn’t doing enough to control his weight. The county’s Children and Family Services agency said it had worked with the family for more than a year before he was removed.

The boy was considered at risk for developing diabetes or high blood pressure. Government growth charts say most boys his age weigh about 60 pounds. He weighed as much as 218 pounds, but dropped to 166 pounds when he was with his uncle, Lawson said Friday.

He was placed in the custody of his uncle last December on the day he celebrated his ninth birthday. The goal all along was to get him back with his family.

The uncle took him to the gym three nights a week, Lawson said. He also began swimming and playing basketball and is doing well despite changing schools and homes several times in recent months, Lawson said.

The boy is continuing to exercise, and his mother recently found a job, which should help with the family’s financial stability, Lawson said.

“Hopefully, everything is on track,” he said. “You’ve got to be in a regiment to keep your weight down.”

Comments (54)

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  • gingerbread
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 3:31pm

    It used to be, that when the government gets too uppity, we used to join together and tell the government to butt out. And, because the government came face to face with a group of very angry citizens, the government backed off. Now, we have just become a bunch of robots, and whatever the government says, since it is the government, and the government knows all things, it’s okay for the government to behave like this. We need to go back to the time when our neighbors join with us, to tell the government to back off.

    Report Post » gingerbread  
  • nobama2012yeswecan
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 1:16pm

    If they can take your child for this then whats next??? bad grades,shop lifting,lying??? If they control your kids, they control you!! Thank God I live in a Country where a Man can feed his child till It bursts!!

    Report Post » nobama2012yeswecan  
    • Elena2010
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 3:33pm

      If they can do this when the wood is green…Happy are the breasts that have not suckled. To the hills!

      Report Post » Elena2010  
  • forthepeople
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 12:35pm

    1st : Government should stay out of it
    2nd : we have all seen these overweight kids with there fat parents and ask ourselves how selfish can one be ? It‘s one thing to go through life overweight and I’m not talking just fat or big boned as they say, its obesity . There kids are like beach-ball’s at 8 , 9 and 10 years old running head first into a bleak future !

    Report Post » forthepeople  
    • Nick84
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 2:48pm

      So do you think that parents should just be allowed to make their children obese? Should the state stay out of all abuse cases?

      Report Post »  
  • SkyeOne
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 12:12pm

    Kids used to ride bicycles, run around the neighborhood playing with other kids. I rarely see a kid outside. Most are sitting all day inside their homes playing games, not getting any sun or exercise. It’s better that parents encourage their kids to go outside and ride bicycles than having the state take their kid away. I’d do anything to keep the state out of my life.

    Report Post »  
  • mama6
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 9:37am

    Why did they return the child after he lost 50 lbs.? He’s just going to gain the weight back!! Obviously his mom doesn’t care what he eats.

    Report Post »  
    • Nick84
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 2:50pm

      From my understanding, they are still monitoring him. I imagine if he gains the weight back they will take him again. Sadly, I’ve read on other sites that hes already put 8lbs back on.

      Report Post »  
  • leftcoastslut
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 9:23am

    and the lesson learned by this child, “I have no respect for you, mom, because The State said you were stupid and didn’t know how to be a GOOD mom.” But wait The State is now allowing me to go back with this stupid woman. What is the lesson learned?

    Report Post »  
    • LibertyGoddess
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 10:41am

      Most kids love their parents no matter what. The state did the right thing here helping this child in a short term intervention. I hope the Uncle stays involved, because part of the dynamics that worked for this child is that there was a second person in his life that cared and took time. Not all women make good mothers after they give birth. Stable families are hard to come by anymore. The kids are always the ones who get hurt the most. This tide of broken families is too big now. We are going to reap the consequences now. Maybe this story will influence other families to intervene without the state and help children who are in harm’s way.

      Report Post » LibertyGoddess  
    • Nick84
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 2:52pm

      His mom was essentially poisoning him so maybe she doesn’t deserve his respect. Also, the state gave him back, but made attempts at helping him maintain a healthier weight, so hopefully it does a lot of good for him.

      Report Post »  
    • The Third Archon
      Posted on May 13, 2012 at 4:41am

      The real problem here is that the causes of obesity go beyond just the individual level. Sure, you as an individual have power over what you eat and how you exercise, but in practical terms, there are MANY constraints which could limit the choices you as an individual can make to combat obesity (either for yourself or your children). For starters, not everyone has the LUXURY of the time and money to buy gym memberships, or work out equipment, and this money/time equation (as the poorer you are the MORE hours you will have to work to make the same amount as someone paid a higher wage) has other spillover effects in terms of the food that is available at a time and cost efficient price. And on top of ALL that, most of the food we eat is garbage from a nutritional perspetive. Certainly, we should be doing SOMETHING about this public health menace, but MERELY pointing the finger at parents (who don’t always HAVE the option to fight the rising trend of obesity) and taking away their children will not necessarily fix the problem. And if it won’t, then it seems grossly cruel to deprive people of one of, if not the, sweetest joy in life, their progeny, for a plan the government isn’t itself committed to solving, for it fails to address the structural problems that make obesity so much more difficult, nay impossible for some, to combat on the individual level.

      Report Post » The Third Archon  
  • neillwd
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 9:22am

    Ve are wit de Government and ve are here to help.

    Report Post »  
    • portnoycomplaining
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 10:05am

      the Germans rule Europe now, btw. Also, the kid is still 100 lbs overweight, for an average kid. So the CHILD PROTECTIVE services are obviously balancing this issue the best they can. They hope the kid’s new habits will save him. In terms of long term health, these parents are worse than child molesters. If they were JUST child molesters the kid would be haunted for 30 yrs and go through therapy. But with these parents, the kid will be dead before he reaches 30. So which is worse? And mb the govt has to intervene sometimes. Guess what, if parents would DO THEIR JOBS, it wouldn’t happen. So let’s stop crying about govt intervention. Americans are FAT ASSES and some intervention is required.

      Report Post »  
  • Constructionist
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 9:19am

    Can you imagine the strain on the system if they started taking away children that are too stupid?

    Report Post » Constructionist  
  • bigbear_awake
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 9:09am

    send all fat people including myself to gitmo so we have free gyms and a healthy deit

    Report Post » bigbear_awake  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 8:40am

    Momma took the boy to Dairy Queen to celebrate his return.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • believe05
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 6:19am

    This is extreme government overreach, period. I live in Ohio and this county can be wacky. Very liberal county so that should tell you something. I don’t know why some people here are trying to rationalize this situation. There were given an inch turned it into a mile. It was the perfect storm of overreaching CS and a liberal court among other factors. It won’t end here.

    Report Post »  
    • dublinthewagons
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 6:51am

      Reminds me of Nazi Germany, Mao’s China, Stalins Russia.
      When do we start building concentration camps & work farms?
      Oh that’s the next term 2012-2016. I forgot.

      Report Post »  
    • historyguy48
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 6:58am

      Overreaching! By what measure of liberal stupidity were they allowed to do what they did? Sure the mom and the kid were a mess but if they choose to be a mess then they should be allowed to be what they want to be.
      The kid will quickly pack the pounds back on and you are correct, the food gestapo will be back for another go around!
      Since I also live in Ohio just remember that we live in the Socialist Workers Paradise of Cuyahoga County. See you around, comrade!
      Keep your powder dry.

      Report Post » historyguy48  
    • On The Bayou
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 7:53am

      It`s the electronic world that keeps these kids on the couch and shuving food down their throat. Send their azzes out to play and limit their time with their faces pasted to a video screen. And why pick on the fat kids and their parents? Why don`t these government fukes go down in the projects where there are hot bullets flying around and small children dying in the streets. The kids are falling like flies in the streets of New Orleans and no one seems to have an answer. Everday you can turn on the local news here and some child`s Mom is on camera crying because her child is dead from a gunshot wound. And screaming how this has got to stop but it never does it only gets worse. There`s nothing from Jesse Jackson, no Al Sharpton, no Black Panther, no Van Jones about the death of these children. And no Obama giving any lip service to lose of these children`s, nor support for their parents. All you hear are crickets chirping. Is it because it`s black on black? Are these kids expendable, not quite as important as Trayvon Martin and the fat kid who was taken from Mom and put on a diet by the government. WTF is going on here?

      Report Post » On The Bayou  
    • hillbillyinny
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 8:08am

      @ historyguy48

      I will say I have to agree with you on this one! I don’t usually live “government” overreach, but SOMEONE HAD TO STEP IN, and it doesn’t sound like friends or family were rising to the occasion on their own!

      My mom was an excellent good and baker. We always had good, well prepared food meat (even if it was hotdogs!), carbs and veggies–however, since we were a moderate income blue-collar family, we had more “pastas” than meat and veggies and fruits (however, most of the fruits were made into pies, struddels, etc., to stretch their availability). My dad and mom were both “chunky” (my dad more so from the donuts that HAD to be consumed during during coffee break working for the phone company). I was chunky (not “excessively fat” or even classed obese most of my young life).

      Dad died young of a massive heart attack! Mom learned to control her weight later in life–thank you Dr. Atkins! And I finally figured out that my diabetes, (which I HAD CONTROLLED WITH DIET AND EXERCISE until my thyroid went screwy and was corrected after a number of years of no one check it!), I learned that CARBS were not my friends, NO MATTER WHAT THE ADA OR OTHER “HEALTH” GROUPS SAY.

      Low carbs (only those in non-sugar veggies), moderate protein (fish, meat, dairy and eggs), and good fats (animal based with ESSENTIAL fatty acids in them), WAS MY ANSWER TO EXCELLENT SUGARS, CHOLESTEROL and WEIGHT LOSS. Almost too much too late for me!

      Report Post »  
  • searching for the Truth
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 6:02am

    The strain on the Health Care System are the doctors themselves.

    Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 6:01am

    Are they gonna take gay kids too ??? They statistically wil have much higher health costs than a fat kid….HIV, aids, hepatitis , stds….

    Report Post »  
  • Pigpen
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 4:32am

    Yeah, boy, the dept of human services is just doing a bang up job in Ohio. This fat kid was taken from his family last fall? That would mean he was taken in 2011. Well something else real interesting happened in 2011 to a child in Ohio’s “child protective custody”. Here is a GREAT story from Ohio’s child-killing human services dept: http://www.onntv.com/content/stories/2011/10/31/story-Jackson-funeral.html

    Apparently in order to make room for the fat kid in the Ohio foster home program, one Demarcus Jackson was taken from his loving foster parents WHO HAD JACKSON SINCE HE WAS ONLY EIGHT DAYS OLD!!! and was RETURNED to his biological parents in 2011. “Allegedly” his biological father burnt little Jackson’s hands and then beat him to death. WOW. Ohio just really cares about the children! Return the innocent to the violent, pervert parents, and take this fat kid from his healthy family because worrying about childhood obesity is “trendy” with the ivy-league-elite crowd.

    SCR3W YOU “human services”. You are just as big perverts and child murderers as the grotesque jailbirds to whom you feed these children. And you are transparent in your war on the rest of us who believe in Jesus Christ, the Bible, and in the sanctity of the family. And SCR3W YOU law enforcement personnel who escort these pervert “social workers” to these kids’ homes and wrest them from the loving arms of their family, for WHAT? Save Demarcus Jackson and leave the fat kid alone!

    Report Post » Pigpen  
  • Hawaii_Conservative
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 4:20am

    Over a year ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 High Blood Pressure. My doctor told me lose weight; I only weighed 193 lbs. at 39 years old. My doctor ask me to get down to 150 lbs; I told her, I don’t look good at 150. She told me straight to my face, I was being lazy and she placed my on 1 med, 6 months passed & she didn’t see a change in my BP so she prescribed 2 more meds. I took them for 3 months and I said this is ridiculous. So I began to walk on a treadmill on an incline, of course, 6 days/week, for 1 hour and after only 6 months I reached 150. She has told me, I don’t look healthy at 150 and eat more sodium. She determined my BP is heredity so I am still on 1 med but all my other numbers for cholesterol, fat in my blood, etc are on the low end of the spectrum.
    In the future, govt healthcare, it is important, we have a healthier society. I agree with Glenn, an ancient evil is presence; is in our future, unhealthy people will be killed because they will cost more to keep alive, than a healthy individual. We have as a society have allowed this govt to creep into every aspect of our lives. I am reminded of the camel that was cold so he ask his owner if he could put his head into the tent, by morning the camel was in the tent & the owner outside. We did it to ourselves we should have lined up on our boundaries & shot everyone as they cross in defense of our lands but we let the govt teach us about diversity, US lose its ID and tolerance is compelling acceptance

    Report Post » Hawaii_Conservative  
    • republitarian
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 11:24am

      Do not trust a doctor any more than a lawyer. (Sometimes you have to) Do your own research. No one cares more about your health than you do.

      Report Post » republitarian  
  • Simonne
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 4:17am

    Something had to be done for this kid. He was with an uncle though so it couldn’t have been too bad for him, not like being with a stranger.

    Report Post »  
    • qpwillie
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 9:47am

      @Dr Vel
      Most forums allow 500 characters. The Blaze allows 1500. It’s for commenting on the article – not writing your own article. Maybe you’re used to blogging. An internet forum is not the same as a blog.

      Report Post » qpwillie  
  • Dr Vel
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 1:31am

    To continue in this second part thanks to the blaze limiting us to little more than tweet space to post:

    CPS instead of taking children like this away should be using their tax dollar funded budget to take the kid to a gym and provide better food. For them it is all about power and control and destruction of families. If this were not so they would only remove children from dangerous and abusive situations not treat parents as criminals over issues outside their control. Assuming the child has large bone structure combined with a slow metabolism he would need to run a marathon every day after school to keep trim even if he only ate normal amounts of food every day since under the conditions mentioned, vast amounts of what he eats will end up being stored as fat. How is this a criminal act on the part of the parents or abuse? One can only assume if CPS thinks they have the right to take a parents child away by implication they believe the parent is some kind of criminal. CPS will never consider the possibilities beyond the parents control mentioned above, they will only work in a way consistent with their belief all power and control belongs only to them. This is evident in the words and actions of so much of the liberal powers taking control, i.e., we are not intelligent enough to govern ourselves, all power must reside with them. After all they clearly ‘know what is best’ or ‘know better’ than the citizens of this country.

    Report Post »  
  • Dr Vel
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 1:30am

    Many people who are overweight have a condition which is more related to genetic predisposition and basic metabolic rate than to poor choices on their part. Clearly he is predisposed to this tendency so all he can do is eat better and continue to exercise at a rate above normal for those with higher metabolic rates. Since most families struggle to keep a roof over their heads thanks to corruption and theft on both sides of the isle in the government (working to wreck our economy), likely the parents do not have the time to work on the child’s low metabolism issue. Imagine working long hours to make ends meet combined with a commute twice a day. Try finding time to take your kid to a gym in the evenings between the job and the school day, what other time is left in the day? Nor can they afford better food choices and the daily kitchen time needed to prepare it. They have a choice of extra time taking the kid to a gym after his normal school hours, or paying the bills. Yet the CPS treats the parents as criminals over the underlying issue of genetics which is beyond anyone’s control. This amounts to criminalization of factors outside human control. Part 2 following:

    Report Post »  
    • spikebu
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 6:37am

      I could suck down heavy cream, butter, potatoes, cakes and pies several times a day. It’s gone in the morning. It is totally genetic for me. I don’t do “fast food” cause it’s horrid. Isn’t it the Fed Govt who dictates public school lunches? Talk about “fast food”. Didn’t they approve Pink Slime? It was our Govt who approved something (most “fast food” places won’t use) to serve to our children, who’s nutrition they are sooo concerned about! What they say, and what they do, don’t mesh. I think our elected officials are a bunch of co-dependent, alcoholics who keep repeating the same behavior over and over again, and expect a different result. Rats. I guess that is who we, the voters, are.

      Report Post »  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 1:04am

    …
    Big Brother is now on steroids, and out of control !

    The Government is taking nine year old children away from their Mothers, and putting them on diets and exercise programs.
    Can you imagine the physical, mental, and emotional stress, the Government put this child through.
    Wake up people. Take a stand. Don’t ever let this happen again.

    The reason the Government is going after fat people, is to draw your attention away from the people who are the real burden on the health care system. The illegals, the womb to tomb Welfare bunch, and the Gays with AIDS and/or Hepatitis.

    Report Post »  
    • Bearwolf
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 1:19am

      Actually obesity is a HUGE strain on the healthcare system. I’m not for big government but letting your child to ballon to 200 lbs at 9 is child neglect. At that rate the kid will lead a miserable life and die by the time he is 40.

      Report Post »  
    • Nick84
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 1:53am

      The physical stress? Of what, exercising? The stress that the government may have put on him is nothing compared to the stress he would have from being so obese.

      Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 2:22am

      Okay .. and when they do genetic testing and find that you are predisposed to something .. what do you think they will do ??? You actually think you will get treated any better than someone who is overweight ? What about people who go out and ruin their knees running .. or fall off mountains .. why should I have to pay for them ??? When the government runs healthcare they RUN YOUR LIFE .. not just the other guys .. yours too .. .they will BE COMING FOR YOU >> MARK MY WORDS.

      Report Post »  
    • libertycomesfromgod
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 3:46am

      which one is it bearwolf? are you against big government or arent you? You cant have it both ways. You cant value you rights and liberties and then say screw the rights and liberties of your neighbor. Having a fat kid is not child abuse and the more the bar moves the more kids the government can steal and have supposed small government conservatives such as your self defend their actions…no one is perfect…parenting is an imperfect science…dont think for a second they couldnt come after your offspring…..dont reason with your self that you love your kids and you are a good parent and so it would never happen to you…good parents lose their kids every day and they told them selves the same line….

      Report Post »  
    • Pigpen
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 4:48am

      BEARWOLF: “Actually obesity is a HUGE strain on the healthcare system.”

      Well, accidents which involve motorcyclists who refuse to wear helmets is a BIGGER strain on the healthcare system, but don’t hold your breath on the helmet laws coming back. Why? Because the “big, tough, cops” simply won‘t go after the outlaw bikers who won’t wear them.

      BECAUSE: 1. Outlaw bikers won’t pay $100-$200 fines for not wearing helmets, so no revenue opportunities for the state. 2. Outlaw bikers are scary and might hurt the “big, tough cops.“ This is also why the ”big, tough cops” won’t enforce your neighborhood noise ordinance when the gangbangers come thumping their bass in your neighborhood. It is also why we have child car seat laws. “Big, tough cops” LIKE to pull over soccer moms. Soccer moms WILL pay the $100-$200 fines, AND the “big, tough cops” can look for MILFs while on the job.

      The moral of this story? Dress like an outlaw biker and give the proverbial finger to the elites and their dogs-on-a-leash aka the “big, tough cops”. This is apparently the only way to get any respect here in post-millennial America.

      Report Post » Pigpen  
    • Bearwolf
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 11:41am

      @ liberty
      @ pigpen

      First of all letting your child get to 200 lbs at age 9 is child neglect. Amazes me that you think otherwise. You don’t have to be a mean person to neglect a child. This case is probably ignorance. Regardless tell me how it’s OK to let your child, who doesn’t know any better, eat himself to death? No one should do anything? Doom him to diabetes, heart disease, and a lifetime living off the government because he will never be able to work as a 400+ pound adult? In this case I’m for intervention. Would you let your kids get this bad? You do realize that it is EXTREME for a 9 year old to be 200 lbs right? That’s not just a little chunky. That’s called morbidly obese. You don’t something should be done in extreme cases?

      And to the point made comparing the strain on healthcare from not wearing helmets to that of obesity is absolutely laughable. You clearly have no clue. If you honestly think that the money John Q Taxpayer ends up forking out to pay for obese people and their diabetes, heart disease, lung problems (keep in mind that vast majority of morbidly obese people dont work) iis comparable to some biking accidents a law enforcing helmets then well……you need to educate yourself.

      Report Post »  
  • Gumbercules
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 12:49am

    Let’s see the fatty. How come no pics? Just blur his face.

    Report Post » Gumbercules  
  • SerikFox
    Posted on May 12, 2012 at 12:46am

    My question is: how big is the kid? Some kids grow way faster – I want to know how tall this kid is in comparison to how much he weighed. Was he super fat? Or was he just a big kid and was a little fat?

    Report Post »  
  • republitarian
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:59pm

    “You’ve got to be in a regiment to keep your weight down.”

    Um… I think he’s too young to join the military. (Sorry. Had to:)

    Report Post » republitarian  
  • staythecourse
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:47pm

    This is a “test” of what will very soon be the norm. Obamacare is full of authorization for the government to put a social worker into any and all homes where a child is considered to be “at risk”. Last year a “study” came out declaring that children who are obese and/or are children of obese parents are at greater risk of being abused…and this was seen as justification for placement of social workers in homes. Get ready parents….this is only the beginning of a very dark nightmare on the horizon.

    Report Post »  
  • piper60
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:35pm

    Clearly, the parents needed an education as much as the kid did. Hopefully, the kid will keep up the excersive routine.

    Report Post » piper60  
  • AndiAndiAndi
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:11pm

    Shame on the kids parents and shame on the state. Where is common sense?

    Report Post »  
    • Nick84
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:28pm

      Shame on the state for what? Saving this child’s life?

      Report Post »  
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