October 5, 2009 update on case involving the newborn abducted in Nashville

Monday, October 5, 2009 -- While everyone, including the Department of Children's Services, is celebrating the Friday-night rescue of the infant, the department still has a large amount of work to do in this case.

Today, DCS continues to be in close contact with state, federal and local law enforcement as they continue their investigation.  Meanwhile, a team of veteran case managers is working with the mother and her children. The four children came into foster care Saturday and remain so today.

"Our goal in this case, as in every case, is straightforward: We are working to make sure that this child and his three siblings have the best possible outcomes,'' said DCS Commissioner Viola P. Miller. "Like everyone in Tennessee and beyond, we want this episode to have the happy ending it deserves. We, as much as anyone, want to see these children reunited with their family and out of state custody."

As always, the department is working closely with the officials of the Davidson County Juvenile Court, which has jurisdiction in this child-custody case. Currently, we expect that the court will review the case Tuesday. The department is now preparing appropriate pleadings for the court.

State confidentiality laws prevent us from sharing child- and family-specific details, including court filings and case recordings.

Citizens need to know that we are also eager for the mother and her children to be reunited as soon as possible, particularly after this heart-wrenching human drama.  We are doing everything we can to minimize the disruption in the children's lives. That includes making sure that the mother can spend as much time as possible with her young ones.

However, the Department of Children's Services still has concerns about the well-being and safety of these children, based on credible and serious information that we are currently receiving.

Law enforcement works hard to solve crimes and prosecute those who commit them. At DCS, we are charged with working with children and families to keep kids safe, not just from predators, but from the pressures that can sometimes overwhelm families and children. We currently have 5,000 children in foster care because their families could not care for them adequately or keep them safe from child abuse or neglect.