Disabled Mother Deprived of Her Children, Discriminatory Hate Crimes in U.S.

Fighting for a Disabled Mother's Right to See Her Children; After a Mother's Brain Injury Following Childbirth, Her Family Fights for Her to See Her Triplets. April 14, 2010, ABC news. Growing up, Abbie Dorn always dreamed of becoming a mother. Now, at age 34, she is the mother of three healthy toddlers. Her home is filled with pictures of the children, triplets named Esti, Reuvi and Yossi.
But in the 4 years since her children were born, Dorn has not been able to talk to them. She can't hold them or watch them play. That's because Dorn endured severe brain damage following their birth.
Now, while her children run and play in their Los Angeles home, Dorn's family, more than 2,500 miles away in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is locked in a legal battle with the children's father to grant Dorn the right to see her children.
The family's lawsuit, which could make its way to a courtroom by May, could become a landmark in defining what it means to be a parent, especially when that parent is disabled.
After graduating from college in Ohio and becoming a chiropractor in Atlanta, she married Dan Dorn, a devoutly religious man who shared her beliefs in Orthodox Judaism. They settled in Los Angeles near his family, and began to plan a family of their own. But Dorn struggled to conceive. After turning to fertility treatments, she finally received word in the fall of 2005 that she was expecting triplets. "She was so excited to be pregnant, she was beginning to say, 'I don't know if I'll ever get to be a mother,'" Dorn's mother, Susan Cohen, said.
Happiness turned to heartbreak after Dorn delivered the three children. What happened in the hospital in the hours after the triplets were born is not clear. And the case was eventually settled out of court for more than $7 million. What the family does know is that Dorn began bleeding internally. Her injury was not caught soon enough, and after a series of missteps, Dorn's brain was deprived of oxygen, leaving her severely brain damaged. Since the day her three children were born, Dorn has required around-the-clock care. She can't speak or move on her own, and she remains in bed unless one of her caretakers moves her to a chair. Dorn spent nearly a year in hospital and rehabilitation care in California near her children.
On the anniversary of his wife's injury, Dan called Dorn's parents. "He said, 'Well I need to move on,'" said Paul Cohen. Dorn's husband eventually divorced her in 2007. In court documents, his attorney said he was "faced with the necessity of beginning to rebuild his life."
Since the divorce, Abbie Dorn has been moved to her parents' home in Myrtle Beach, where she undergoes a daily regime of therapies and rehab.
Dorn's now ex-husband has refused to bring the children to see her. They said he refuses to send videos or to allow Dorn to see the children via webcam.
Dan's attorneys argue that exposing the children to their severely disabled mother would traumatize them. Medical experts hired by his attorneys to review her records said she would never recover.
But Dorn's parents say Dan Dorn's experts are looking at old records, and that after years of rehabilitation, it is clear she has brain function, can understand when people talk to her and can read short passages. Having devoted the past five years to her rehabilitation, Susan and Paul Cohen believe their daughter communicates through her eyes. They say when Dorn has one long blink it means "yes." When she is in pain, she cries out. When she is happy, they say, she can smile. Her eyes follow movements in the room. Her caretakers say several times a day she will say "yeah" or "no" in response to direct questions.
Legal Battle Over Children of a Disabled Parent
ABC News spent a day with Dorn and watched her undergo therapy. When asked if seeing her children was important to her, Dorn replied with a long blink.
"A mother needs to see her children, she gave them life," Paul Cohen said. "Her blood is in their veins. These children need to know they have a mommy and she needs to know her children are growing."
The family's lawyer argues that Dorn has rights that have been ignored. "Abbie has a right, a constitutional, legal right to have her parents, her own representatives, to request visitation on her behalf," Lisa Helfend, an attorney for Dorn and her parents, said.
Dorn's mother believes her daughter is still "there," saying Dorn cries, smirks and even smiles. "I know that Abbie is there ... it's well beyond a mother's love," Susan Cohen said.
"If all she can say to them is one or two words and show in her eyes how much she loves them, I think that will mean a great deal to those children," Susan Cohen said.
ABC News' requests for an interview with Dan Dorn were declined.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/brain-injury-mothers-family-fights-children/story?i...

Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation
http://www.terrisfight.org/

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[mamasuntwinkle]

March 2011. Calif Judge Says Paralyzed Mother Has Right to Visit Her Children. Judge Fredrick Shaller ordered 5-day visits once a year at Mother's parents' home in South Carolina for 3 hours each day. Only Abbie Dorn, ex-husband Dan Dorn + the 3 young children are to take part in the visit.

Mother's family will not be allowed in the room during the children's visits unless Dan Dorn allows it. Cohen also will not be allowed to take part in the Skype conversations without Dan Dorn's permission.

[death2utubenow]

Psychological damage? What about when his kids grow up and find out what a tw*t their father had been in cutting them off from their mother?

I think he cut and ran. I also read that he also made a claim to her money.

[stoneycwb]

this breaks my heart this woman has every right to see her children , no one should be able to deny her that ,im re posting this as much as i can . thank you for posting this and making me aware of her struggle

[deemarie95]

There is no reason why these children should not have a relationship with their loving Mother. Her disability may be severe, however this is irrelevant. My brother's disability is severe and he was a very loving father to his son, and continues to be so. The cowardly actions of the dad repulse me to a degree I cannot explain. Was the fact that he had three babies to care for the reason for his irrational thinking? I cannot even attempt to make excuses, my heart goes out to this woman! Pray 4 her

[Redrumxtina]

The father is an asshole!!!

[StuDeMattia86]

id be freaked out if i was 5 and saw my mom like that

[elgmalone]

@beautylieswithin123 I understand the divorce but I don't see why the kids can't visit her. She is their mother, they need to understand how life works and accept her for who she is. What would happen if something happened to the father and HE ended up in a state like hers and someone else had to take custody of the children? Should they be kept away from him in that case too?

[beautylieswithin123]

her husband is so mean for leaving her after she became disabled. wth. y did he divorce her??

[CompTuts77]

the guy she married looks like Tosh.0

1:37

[2pkjs1351]

This is some fucking bullshit

[joimko2]

@missmissy22556 Because "From this day forward, For better, for worse, For richer, for poorer, In sickness and in health, To love and to cherish, 'Till death do us part." has no or at least lost its meaning. People beleive in it till they face the reality of such an incident. Only amazing people can adapt to such situation. To be honnest, I am not 100% sure I would have stayed myself. But to prevent my ex-wife to see here kids!? damn no I would not have done that. Such a sad story.

[Fuleadeare]

That poor, poor woman. She finally has children, and they get taken away by the lazy fool of a father. So seeing their mother is going to traumatize them? IF HE HADN'T TAKEN HER CHILDREN AWAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NORMAL FOR THEM TO SEE. If he had stuck with his wife who he vowed to stay with in SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH and helped to raise those children WITH her, this would never have been an issue. That poor woman.

[MyGrandMaHitsMe]

@mamasuntwinkle Wow. Truly a hate crime by all parties--the "father" and the judicial system. Publicize the judge's name.