The Giwa Family. Source: Save Giwa Family Facebook page
by Health Impact News/MedicalKidnap.com Staff
In a stunning turn-around, a Houston judge ruled Thursday that the Giwa girls are to be returned home immediately. Advocates and family are rejoicing in the partial victory, and are praying for little Ali to be returned home soon as well.
In a permanency hearing on Tuesday, Ahmed and Kathy Giwa were told that the plan had changed to adoption and that CPS planned to work to see the Giwa children adopted out to non-family members.
Ali was taken by CPS in April 2015 on allegations that his parents medically neglected him, after doctors failed to determine a reason for him lagging behind his twin sister developmentally. In November, Ali’s twin and his older sister were also seized when the family tried to take the children out of the country to visit their dying grandmother in Nigeria. The Giwas have been fighting CPS to get their children back, because they say that their children should never have been taken from them in the first place.
Health Impact News has been following their story for many months, and word of the injustice happening to the family has spread quickly. Advocates called for a day of prayer and fasting on Wednesday, in anticipation of the hearing in Harris County on Thursday.
To all who were watching, the case looked desperate. Friends and family had little hope that anything good would come out of the hearing, because they report having seen far too many unjust things happen already in the case.
Now, those same supporters are rejoicing. According to the Save Giwa Family page on Facebook:
We are so happy to update the girls are coming home, in fact, as I type this they may be home! Can you imagine that reunion?
No more gag orders!
No more psych orders!
Let’s just say that Terri Jones, CPS had a BAD, BAD day in court today! This judge used some COMMON SENSE and the GIWAS won!
Thank you to all of our supporters both in this group and countrywide! We will update once the Giwas are reunited and have time with their precious children. We still have to get Ali home. Everyone working together marching, protesting, praying, blogging, calling, emailing, letting your voice be heard, doing interviews and the list goes on, plus all of the behind the scenes work. You made a difference! Our collective voices, talents, knowledge MADE A DIFFERENCE. The Giwa girls will be sleeping in their home tonight with mom and dad!
THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you!
Image from Fox News Houston.
Kathy Giwa told Randy Wallace of Fox 26 Houston:
We’ve just been amazed, like God’s raising this whole army of people. We’re just thankful.
The Fox affiliate interviewed the Giwas and their attorney Kori Booth after the hearing. Judge John Phillips reportedly asked CPS how the visit to their dying grandmother presented any kind of a safety threat to the girls, and he ordered them to be returned to their parents. All 3 children had been placed in 3 separate foster homes, in violation of federal laws requiring siblings to be placed together whenever possible.
Booth pointed out that CPS has never offered any evidence of guilt of the parents for the developmental delays in Ali. Like most of the cases that are reported at Health Impact News and published on MedicalKidnap.com, the accusations against the parents were allegations based on hearsay and opinion, without any evidence. In many cases, that is all that is needed to rip a family apart.
However, Kathy told Fox that Judge Phillips “stood for the truth and he was just outstanding.”
The Giwas live outside of Harris County, and many have questioned the county’s jurisdiction over the case. The case has now been moved out of Harris county to the county that they actually reside in.
The victory is not complete. CPS issued this statement to Fox 26:
The court has ordered the female siblings to live with their parents while CPS maintains legal custody to monitor their safety and well-being. Ali (their son) will remain in foster care to ensure that his medical needs are being met.
Ali is still not home. CPS tried again in court to push for the termination of the Giwa’s parental rights over Ali. Their attorney reports:
They plan to adopt that boy out to some non-family member, and the judge shook his head and basically questioned them as to how they could come to that conclusion.
That is the same question that concerned people all over the world are asking, even as they rejoice that the Giwa girls are finally reunited with their parents.
From the Save Giwa Family Facebook page
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