Mom With Intellectual Disability Unfit To Raise Baby, Authorities Say

A pregnant woman with an intellectual disability who fled to Ireland after British authorities told her she wasn’t smart enough to raise a baby was ultimately forced to give up her child anyway.

Kerry Robertson, 17, and Mark McDougall, 25, left their home in Fife, Scotland for Ireland when Robertson was 29 weeks pregnant after British social services threatened to take the child they were expecting from them. The reason: authorities said Robertson’s disability left her unfit to raise a child.

Once in Ireland, Robertson gave birth to a son, Ben, and just four days later Irish authorities took the baby from her, acting on a tip from the British social services.

Now, Ben is in foster care. His parents see him every other day and are distraught that the baby does not have the opportunity to be breast fed and bond with his parents.

Irish authorities are investigating and will make a final decision about whether or not the child should be returned to his parents, reports the (London) Daily Mail. To read more click here.