Noémie decided to give birth to her second daughter at home, in the context of an unassisted delivery. A reason, among others, which justifies for the local authorities to withdraw to him as well as to the father the custody of their children.
For the birth of her second daughter on June 3, Noémie chose to give birth at home, without medical assistance.. If the delivery takes place without difficulty and the mother and child are well, it is with the local authorities and the child protection authorities that the parents will experience complications. The cause ? Her mode of delivery, which the town hall of Vitré does not endorse. And to immediately withdraw custody of their two-year-old daughter and infant.
Unassisted childbirth prohibited?
What the law says ? According to the jurist Marie-Hélène Lahaye, who reports on his Twitter account the story of these parents, childbirth at home without help and medical supervision, called ANA (unassisted childbirth) is allowed – although largely discouraged by the medical profession. Nevertheless, when Raphaël, the dad, went to the civil status service of the municipality of Ile et-Vilaine to proceed to the declaration of Lou’s birth, it was initially refused. by the official, referring the absence of a medical certificate attesting that the child is in good health. Back the next day with his partner and the baby, the declaration is recorded with the signing of a sworn statement, and the observation by the officers of the service of the viability of the baby. It is nevertheless accompanied by a report to the PMI (Maternal and Child Protection). “Lhe agent again recalled the importance of having the child visited by a doctor in order to ensure his state of health, without this advice seeming to find a favorable echo with the father. Under these conditions, with regard to the risk to the health of the child, the civil registrar transmitted the birth to the PMI, as provided for by the regulations for each birth, while informing it however of the particular circumstances and of the absence of a medical examination“explains the mayor of Vitré to the Figaro.
From the PMI to the gendarmes
First questioned by PMI agents, the parents at the same time complied with the compulsory pediatric visit during the eight days following the birth, which they did on June 10. The consultation would have confirmed the good state of health of the infant according to the mother, who however does not obtain any official document from the doctor to certify it. During the same day another visit of the PMI is imposed on them at home, but it is finally the gendarmes who come “for the temporary placement of two children in a nursery” relates the magazine She. Immediately, little Nausicaa and the seven-day-old baby were taken away from their parents,“on suspicion of abuse”. Destitute, the parents are now publicizing the affair on social networks under the hashtag #réunirnotrefamille, especially since the daily visit to which they had been authorized was not respected and to this day, they have still not not see their children again.
Recalcitrant parents?
Regarding the incriminating evidence, the mother’s lie to the PMI, first claiming to have given birth without medical recourse for lack of time to go to the maternity ward, then finally acknowledging that this choice was always deliberate, does not play in her favor . The father is also in the sights of justice, because of his very tense exchanges with the PMI, during which he often got angry: “irresponsible behavior” by the very admission of his companion. Finally, the authorities are worried about the general unwillingness to carry out a medical follow-up of little Lou, whereas just before the arrival of the gendarmes, the PMI had offered by telephone to the mother to come back to weigh her infant, which she refused. Now, the judge in charge of the case has three weeks, the time of the investigation, to rule on the fate of the little ones and the possible reunion of the family.