The following story has been removed from the world wide
    web after several years at:
    http://home.pacbel.net/hmaurer/dstory.htm We keep it on
    the Dufferin VOCA site to show that child abduction is a
    worse experience even than child death.

    In December 2004, we received an email from Heather
    Maurer (heather@happy-heathen.com) asking to be
    identified as the author of this article.



    Dorian's Story

    Dorian Nicholas entered our lives on April 1st of 1996.
    Our little bundle of joy weighed in at six pounds even.
    He was absolutely perfect!  Ten little fingers and toes,
    blonde peach fuzz, and big blue eyes.  He was good
    natured and happy from the very beginning!

    At our two month check up Dorian weighed in with very
    little weight gain, we started force feeding him, and
    going to the pediatrician weekly for weight checks.

    Things at home seemed to be going really well.  Dorian
    was reaching all of his developmental milestones (such
    as smiling, laughing and rolling over) on schedule, but
    still seemed to be maintaining or losing weight.

    At four and a half months we admitted Dorian to the
    hospital for a week of testing and evaluation.
    Unfortunately the pediatrician did not find anything
    unusual in his work ups.  With the addition of corn oil
    and double strengh formula Dorian put on a few ounces
    and we were released from the hospital.  We were to
    continue having visiting nurses come by our house a
    couple times a week to check up on his progress.

    One week after Dorian's release from the hospital
    Childrens Protective Services came to our house and took
    Dorian from our custody for "severe neglect".  Their
    stance was that no child could be this slow with weight
    gain without his parent's purposely starving him.  Our
    little sweetheart Dorian was put into foster care, where
    we were only allowed to see him for an hour a day under
    close supervision.  Since he was taken away on a Friday
    it was Monday before we were allowed to see him!  This
    was the most horrible time in my life.  I spent the
    entire weekend in bed sobbing for my baby!  I knew I had
    done nothing wrong, and it seemed our own Doctor had
    turned on us!

    To make matters worse our lawyers told us not to expect
    to regain custody of Dorian for at least six months.
    This was a very high profile case.  A child a few months
    earlier starved to death, and CPS was aware that the
    mother was unfit, but had done nothing, this was their
    chance to redeem themselves in the public eye.  They
    would see to it we did not get our son back.

    Much to our relief (but not good for Dorian) he
    continued to lose weight while in foster care and was
    returned to the hospital for further testing.  While
    Dorian was in the hospital I was allowed to stay with
    him 24 hours a day as the nursing staff could supervise
    me.  A week passed, and Dorian continued to lose weight.
    Then one of our pediatric nurses who was really trying
    to help me with Dorian asked the pediatric neurologist
    to stop by and see Dorian.  After an extremely cursory
    examination (it lasted all of a minute), he felt he knew
    what was wrong with our little Dorian and ordered a CT
    scan.  That afternoon Dorian had the scan and it
    detected a walnut sized brain tumor.

    The next day, after a brief visit to court to obtain
    temporary custody we were able to take Dorian to
    Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles.  After a couple of
    weeks on steriods Dorian had gained a few pounds and was
    strong enough to undergo brain surgery to see what we
    would be up against.  After a 6 hour surgery where they
    took a biopsy of the tumor (which left him blind), and
    to implant a Hickman line, we found out that there was
    very little we could do for him.  He had one very large
    brain tumor, and about two hundred tiny tumors up and
    down his spine.  The doctors informed us that Dorian had
    a less than 15% chance of making it even 6 months.  So
    rather than subject him to the suffering of chemical
    therapy, we decided to take hime home, and to let him
    live the rest of his life, however long it may be, in
    peace.

    Dorian lived for two months at home, where he was truly
    spoiled, and was happy until the very end.  Dorain
    passed away on December 20, 1996 among close friends and
    family.  Dorian will always be missed, but the light he
    shined in our lives will forever be bright!  He taught
    me to be strong, and the true meaning of unconditional
    love.

    I miss you Dorian, but I know that you are happy.  Look
    down on us with a smile!