help

collapse

Press one of the expand buttons to see the full text of an article. Later press collapse to revert to the original form. The buttons below expand or collapse all articles.

expand

collapse

Josiah Bayne

February 12, 2011 permalink

Last year the Bayne family underwent a year-long trial in an effort to get back their three children seized by British Columbia MCFD. They are awaiting the decision of judge Crabtree, expected to come late in February. Meanwhile, Zabeth was pregnant with her fourth child. It was a tense race to find out whether the stork would arrive before the judge's decision. All of Zabeth's children have been born before the due date, and the latest, Josiah Magnus Idar Bayne, arrived on the morning of February 11, two weeks early. At 3 pounds 15 ounces he is a tiny baby, healthy but in need of mother's love. He won't get it. Just a few hours after birth, MCFD seized the baby. MCFD is taking the precaution of placing the proceedings in the Josiah case in a different court, so even if judge Crabtree returns three children later this month, MCFD might still hang on to Josiah.

expand

collapse

Josiah Magnus Idar Bayne


Update on the Bayne family by Christine Veenstra

This is an update for all of Paul and Zabeth's friends and supporters and people following their case. It includes an urgent appeal to help by means of phone, letters and e-mail or Facebook contact to people of influence such as government members who should be concerned about child welfare in the province of British Columbia.

Paul and Zabeth welcomed the newest member of their family into their eagerly waiting arms yesterday morning. Josiah Magnus Idar Bayne came into the world weighing 3 lbs. 15 oz. He is healthy, but very tiny. Their joy at his safe arrival was nearly immediately overshadowed by a social worker announcing that he would be removing Josiah from their custody, and then proceeded to do so. Josiah is presently in a nursery where he will be monitored because of his small size. And he will need to remain there until his weight increases to a safe level-probably another two weeks. The ministry of course is aware of this, and could've chosen to back off and take a much less intrusive approach to the situation, but they continue to take an adversarial, heavy-handed approach instead.

Zabeth has now been discharged from hospital, and while she and Paul will visit with Josiah as much as humanly possible, the situation has forced the physical separation between the three of them.

Paul and Zabeth are holding up as well as could be expected but of course this is an extremely difficult and emotionally trying time for them. They are physically and emotionally exhausted. The social worker from the ministry has advised them that they need to appear in a Surrey court next Thursday morning regarding Josiah's custody. This is a different court, and would be a different judge than the one who is overseeing their present case. It is out of jurisdiction, and they're hoping that the long-awaited decision from Judge Crabtree arrives before that time or that at least, Judge Crabtree will oversee the hearing regarding Josiah. It only makes sense as he is completely aware of everything that has transpired up until now.

Please read the message below to find out how you can help. This is a very critical time to act and help Paul and Zabeth.

Please feel free to forward this message to your friends and get them involved as well. If anyone is interested in helping defray some of their extraordinary costs right now, please contact myself [Christine Veenstra] or Mary Ellen Kragh through Facebook for more information on how to do that.

Paul and Zabeth are incredibly grateful for all the support and encouragement they are receiving. Let's keep up the pressure and help them get the kids back.

Thank you.

Christine Veenstra


URGENT APPEAL REGARDING PAUL AND ZABETH BAYNE - Please Help!

I need to share an urgent prayer request for my friends Paul and Zabeth Bayne (and a plea to help!). Their fourth child, Josiah was born yesterday morning and then removed from their custody by the MCFD hours later. This is beyond cruel and totally unnecessary. Please read the post below by Mary Ellen and follow the link above to hear more of their story. This site is a blog, you can go into past history there easily. They are also on Facebook: search for The Bayne Campaign for Justice. If you care about children, learn what IS happening right here in our town, it is chilling. This affects us all - having a children's ministry which is seemingly unaccountable to no one and doesn't even follow their own guidelines - they certainly have not demonstrated putting the children's best interests first and have kept this family separated for over 3 YEARS!

Although Paul and Zabeth have done everything humanly possible to regain custody of their children, it has been a long and costly battle. They have gotten through this ordeal because of their faith and they have continually exhibited grace and integrity.

The Baynes need all the help they can get as the MCFD is seeking to have PERMANENT custody of their children! Please pray and act. Send a letter or phone your MLA, MP, the BC Advocate for Children and Youth, anyone with influence you can think of. Read the blogs. Get informed please and call or e-mail me or Mary Ellen Kragh if you have any questions or suggestions. Please share this with your friends. Thank you for caring!

Here are three people important to contact. Just tell them you're concerned about the Bayne custody case and the outrageous way it is being handled - and whatever else you want to say.

Mary Polak is the BC Minister of Children and Family Development and Minister Responsible for Child Care
e-mail mcf.minister@gov.bc.ca
phone 1-250-387-9699

MaryEllen Turpel-Lafonde is the BC Representative for Children and Youth
website with blank area to make comment of concern
https://www.rcybc.ca/Content/Contact/SendATip.asp
or phone 1-800-476-3933

Barry Penner is the Chilliwack MLA AND The Minister Attorney General of BC
website with blank area to submit comment
http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/contacts/emailag.htm
phone 1-250-387-1866 or 604-858-6202

Source: Facebook private messages

Addendum: The only newspaper coverage:

expand

collapse

Newborn taken from Hope couple

A premature baby born to former Hope couple Paul and Zabeth Bayne was removed from their care by the B.C. child and family ministry last Thursday.

"We're just devastated," Zabeth Bayne said in a telephone interview from her hospital room the next day.

"It was a traumatic and cruel experience, the way it was done," she said.

Ministry officials declined comment because the case is before the courts, but in an email explained that in any child protection case, the ministry's first priority is to make sure the child is not in danger.

"If it is deemed that a child needs protection, (the ministry), through its legislation, must go before the courts within seven days," the ministry said, where a judge will decide if the child should remain in ministry care or be returned to the parents.

But to the Baynes - and to supporters who contacted The Progress - removing the baby born prematurely put his health and safety at risk and robbed him of the chance to bond with his mother.

"How is this in the best interest of the child?" supporter Rachel Kragh asked in an email. "Anyone with an inkling of a brain knows that a baby needs that bonding time with his mom, especially if he is small and earlier than most normal births."

The Baynes' baby boy weighed in at 3 lbs 15 oz when born at 6:30 a.m. Thursday.

Zabeth Bayne said she pleaded with the social worker to let the baby stay with her until he gained weight.

"But (the social worker) said he had orders from above that he had to remove the baby from us," she said.

The couple, who now live in Surrey, have been in a much-publicized court fight since 2007 with the ministry for the return of their three older children after allegations were made that they had shaken a baby daughter, causing brain injury.

The couple claimed the child was injured after an older brother, a toddler at the time, tripped and fell on top of her.

Chilliwack provincial court judge Thomas Crabtree is expected to make a ruling on the case sometime this month.

Supporters of the couple accuse the ministry with dragging out the court case because the Baynes embarrassed officials by going to the media with their story.

Source: Chilliwack Progress

sequential