Birth Mother Sues To Have Visitation With Brain Damaged Daughter

[Sojiita]

Birth mother sues to visit injured girl

MARK PRATT
Associated Press
BOSTON - The biological mother of a girl who authorities say suffered severe brain injuries at the hands of her adoptive parents sued the state on Monday, demanding that she be allowed to visit her daughter in the hospital.

The state told Allison Avrett without detailed explanation in July that she would no longer be allowed to visit her daughter in Franciscan Children's Hospital, said her attorney Wendy Murphy.

"Recent events made us feel that urgent legal action became necessary," Murphy said.

The suit, which also asks for $12.5 million in damages, was filed one year to the day that Haleigh Poutre, then 11, was admitted to a Westfield hospital with a brain injury.

Police say Avrett's sister, Holli Strickland and her husband, Jason, had severely beaten the girl. About a week later, Holli Strickland died alongside her grandmother in an apparent murder-suicide. Jason Strickland pleaded not guilty last month to assault and battery charges in Haleigh's case.

Haleigh had been the focus of a right-to-die case last year. After the Department of Social Services took custody of Haleigh, a juvenile court judge granted the agency permission to remove her from life support.

But shortly after the legal battle between the state and Jason Strickland - who was trying to keep her on life support - Haleigh started showing signs of improvement. She began breathing on her own and responding to questions, and was admitted to the Franciscan Hospital in Boston for rehabilitation.

Avrett said in an affidavit attached to her lawsuit that Haleigh had been showing improvement on her most recent visits, including responding to questions with hand signals, showing emotion by touching, and eating solid food.

Avrett also wants the state to share files concerning Haleigh's adoption and care.

"We think (DSS) has hidden information because they don't want anyone to sue on behalf of Haleigh because it's going to cost them a lot of money," Murphy said.

Avrett gave up her parental rights in 2001 when she let her sister, Holli Strickland, adopt Haleigh. Avrett has said that she felt pressured by a social services worker who said the agency would take Avrett's child, once born, unless she agreed to let the Stricklands adopt Haleigh.

"We are not going to comment on what they feel they need to do," Denise Monteiro, a spokeswoman for the state agency, said Monday about the lawsuit.
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/15495573.htm

*Well given that they wanted to turn off the life support(and the girl improved) I do not blame her one bit. Although the adoptive father wanting her alive is only to keep himself from getting a murder charge IMO. Very strange case*

[KD]

What a world we live in. This is just a tragic story. Based on what is here, I think she should absolutely be allowed to see her child. Although, I am curious why she was pressured by social services to terminate her parental rights in the first place.

[MrsMarsters]

Yes she should be but her rights were given up...really do feel for the daughter though poor thing.

[crumpet]

I feel so sorry for this poor girl and those adoptive parents should be burned alive. However, this girl ceased to be this bio mom's child when she was given up for adoption. Why to people adopt kids when they don't want or can't handle raising them? I think some of them just want someone to abuse, fuckers.

[KD]

^here I think the circumstances are a bit different in that the adoptive mother was the girls biological aunt. As in she was not seeking out to adopt, but perhaps felt pressured. NOT excusing their behaviour ONE BIT!!!!

When there is an interfamilial adoption, you would *think* there would be some contact anyway, I mean her sister was raising her daughter. I would think she would have seen her, unless the Bmom had no contact with her own family.

[sweetrebel]

Wish I knew why child services "forced" her to give up the child...that IMO makes a lot of difference.
I do think that she should have a chance to see her child, but without the above info I can't say that her rights should be reinstated.
It is true that the adoptive father wanted her to be kept on life support so that he wouldn't be charged with her murder. My only question is why that sorry piece of shit wasn't part of the murder suicide instead of the grandmother?

[misskris]

My guess is something like drug addiction as to why the state my try to force her to give the child up. What a sad story.