Mother of 400lb son may lose parental rights

[Kodiak]

Mom Fears DCF Will Take 400-Pound Son
13-Year-Old Orlando Boy Refuses To Take Medicine, Mother Says

ORLANDO, Fla. -- An Orlando mother said on Tuesday that she's fearful the state will take custody of her 13-year-old 400-pound son after doctors called authorities about his condition.

Doctors contacted the Department of Children and Families after Josiah Lewis missed a few appointments, saying his condition is life-threatening.

The boy's mother, Brenda Lewis, said she's trying to help her son lose weight, but he refuses to take medicine and will not stop overeating.

"At 13, how can I make him? What do you want me to do?" Brenda Lewis said. "Because of his weight he has gained diabetes and has high blood pressure."

DCF officials said the case is rare, but the department has launched an investigation. The agency does have the authority to remove an obese or anorexic child from a home if the child's medical condition is life-threatening.

Brenda Lewis said her son does not take his health seriously, putting her in a difficult position.

"This is a serious matter. These people are going to come in my house and take my child and sign me over as unfit," Brenda Lewis said. "I don't know how you think about that, but I think very highly of that -- that's not right."

DCF officials said they have provided support to the Lewis family, but added that the family has to cooperate with doctors or face the option of having Josiah Lewis being removed from the home.

"He didn't come with a manuscript or a guide. I (have) just been working my way through," Brenda Lewis said.

South Carolina authorities recently placed a 555-pound 14-year-old boy in foster care despite his parents' claims that they were trying to help him.

I think the state is well within their rights, because as the mother said - she can't get her son to do what he needs to do to be healthy. If you're incapable or otherwise inable of helping a child who's slowly killing themselves, the state has to exercise authority.

[Themightytom]

I assume mandatory parenting classes would be an interim step.

[Serafina]

I think the state is well within their rights, because as the mother said - she can't get her son to do what he needs to do to be healthy. If you're incapable or otherwise inable of helping a child who's slowly killing themselves, the state has to exercise authority.

Agreed.
"My child does not listen to me" is indeed a good argument to take away the child, IF it makes the parent(s) unable to keep the child safe.

And such a weight is clearly hazardous.
Of course, with the same argument, we could take away the parental rights of smokers (or rather, of smoking children), or every child which does something dangerous (read: Every child). So it's important to keep an eye on what we consider hazardous enough to do so.
But in this case, it is a good decision - and an amazing done, given the bias that weight problems are not really ones own fault.

[Themightytom]

I think the state is well within their rights, because as the mother said - she can't get her son to do what he needs to do to be healthy. If you're incapable or otherwise inable of helping a child who's slowly killing themselves, the state has to exercise authority.

Agreed.
"My child does not listen to me" is indeed a good argument to take away the child, IF it makes the parent(s) unable to keep the child safe.

And such a weight is clearly hazardous.
Of course, with the same argument, we could take away the parental rights of smokers (or rather, of smoking children), or every child which does something dangerous (read: Every child). So it's important to keep an eye on what we consider hazardous enough to do so.
But in this case, it is a good decision - and an amazing done, given the bias that weight problems are not really ones own fault.

I think the conccept could be limited to outrageous habits. maybe not take away a parent whose child is smoking, but certainly a parent who is buying a carton a day for their little chimney requires some sort of intervention? How is the fat kid getting food if his mom isn't at least obtaining it, and permitting access? it was pretty hard to argue with MY parents when I wanted more... if we ate it all it was gone.

[Alferd Packer]

I'm sure the kid has severe mobility problems. It seems a simple matter to physically prevent him from obtaining food in the house. And since it's probably a good bet that he lives in the depths of a soulless suburb, he can't easily walk anywhere to obtain other food. Hell, he probably can't walk to the shitter easily.

[Serafina]

I'm sure the kid has severe mobility problems. It seems a simple matter to physically prevent him from obtaining food in the house. And since it's probably a good bet that he lives in the depths of a soulless suburb, he can't easily walk anywhere to obtain other food. Hell, he probably can't walk to the shitter easily.

And if it actually made him walk (or use a strange, foreign device know as "bike") that would be a GOOD thing.
Again, it's a clear screwup by the parents.

[Vendetta]

And if it actually made him walk (or use a strange, foreign device know as "bike") that would be a GOOD thing.
Again, it's a clear screwup by the parents.

400lb at 13 years old, I doubt he'd be capable of doing much of either.

Cases like this just beg the question though, why have enough food in the house for the child to pig themselves to 400lb in the first place. Sure, she says she can't force him to take his medication, but she can just buy less food

[Darth Wong]

I love the way parents like this always deny that they've been negligent, and act as if it's simply impossible to control a child's behaviour. I have two sons, and they've always eaten according to my instructions for their own well-being. I'm not a tyrant; they get snacks and treats like any other kid. But I put limits on it. Clearly, this woman does not understand the concept of setting limits.

[Junghalli]

The boy's mother, Brenda Lewis, said she's trying to help her son lose weight, but he refuses to take medicine and will not stop overeating.

"At 13, how can I make him? What do you want me to do?"

Um, unless he has a job that pays him enough to buy his own food (which I doubt) the answer to this is obvious. Just don't buy enough food for him to eat himself into weighing 400 pounds, and don't give him enough of your money to allow him to buy that much food. He's eating off your money, which makes it perfectly within your rights to refuse to enable his self-destructive lifestyle even if we don't consider the fact that he's not legally an adult and it's not only a parent's right but his or her responsibility to intervene if their child adopts an inarguably self-destructive lifestyle.

[Dartzap]

Its also possible he could have Prader willi or something like that, since that can cause someone to constantly want to eat.

[Darth Wong]

Its also possible he could have Prader willi or something like that, since that can cause someone to constantly want to eat.

Even if he does, she can cut off his food supply. What's he going to do? And what's this bullshit about how he won't take his medication? He's 13 fucking years old, not 1 year old. You can speak to him rationally. Here's how the conversation works:

Parent: "Take your medicine."
Fatty: "No."
Parent: "OK, you don't eat until you take your medicine."
Fatty: "But I'm huuuuungrry!!!! Waah!"
Parent: "What did I just tell you?"

[Darth Yan]

Parents might not want to talk bad about their kids. There was a sad case about how the mom didn't give the kid enough grief because she smothered him (her older son died). Eventually they underwent a trial seperation.

[Broomstick]

Its also possible he could have Prader willi or something like that, since that can cause someone to constantly want to eat.

Still not good enough - there are parents of children with Prader-Willi who nonetheless manage to keep their children from becoming obese. It's hard work, and might even require putting locks on the refrigerator and food storage cabinets, but it can be done and has been done.

The authorities have not simply swooped in to snatch a child - the mother has been told to fix the problem, and has not. If she is incapable of restraining her child from self-destructive behavior then the state does have the duty to step in to protect the child. Certainly, a full medical work up should be done, including looking for any metabolic or genetic disorder that might be contributing to the problem, but bottom line saying a child "doesn't take his health seriously" is a bullshit excuse. She's the adult, she needs to act like one.

[Mr Bean]

I've said it once I'll say it again. For anyone to break 350 pounds you have to be TRYING to get fat. And that's for normal healthy adult males not for 13 year old kids. Do you know how many calories on a day to day basis you have to consume to make that kind of weight? For reference your average 300 pound person can burn even with minimal activity 2900 calories a day just doing basic things because there body has to work so much harder to do everything to move them around. Think of how hard it would be to be walking around with another 100 pounds on your back all the time and you get the idea. Even if this kid is doing nothing but walking to the damn kitchen he should be burning about half a pound of each day. So to get to this weight he has to be be consuming three pounds of food a day minimum. Something like ten thousand calories a day for weeks and weeks to get to this kind of weight.

You can't do that unless you have no self control what so ever or are actively trying to hit that weight. Please keep in mind three McDonalds extra large BigMac value meals is only about 5,900 calories(Plus soda) so you need to eat five of those a day to get this kind of weight gain this kid managed.

[Ford Prefect]

"This is a serious matter. These people are going to come in my house and take my child and sign me over as unfit," Brenda Lewis said. "I don't know how you think about that, but I think very highly of that -- that's not right."

Her son has forearms thicker than his goddamn head and she wants to talk about what's 'not right'? How do some parents end up like this?

[Oskuro]

Parent: "Take your medicine."
Fatty: "No."
Parent: "OK, you don't eat until you take your medicine."
Fatty: "But I'm huuuuungrry!!!! Waah!"
Parent: "What did I just tell you?"

I'm guessing this is one of those parents who have been granting their child's every wish, and try to plead with him instead of just saying no. I'm also guessing this kid has no respect for his mother and will throw a temper tantrum every time she says no to any of his whims, because he knows she'll cave in.

[Superman]

I love the way parents like this always deny that they've been negligent, and act as if it's simply impossible to control a child's behaviour. I have two sons, and they've always eaten according to my instructions for their own well-being. I'm not a tyrant; they get snacks and treats like any other kid. But I put limits on it. Clearly, this woman does not understand the concept of setting limits.

Exactly. Every time I've seen or read about these types of negligent parents, it always amazes me how clueless they genuinely seem. Like this kind of thing 'just happens' once in a while and there's nothing they can do about it. They're just along for the ride.

[Stark]

I was a prick of a kid, and if my parents had this kind of 'omg so hard' attitude, I'd probably be in jail. Whoa, turns out raising a child involves responsiblity?!

[Pick]

This ain't the damn Twilight Zone episode where you get sent to the cornfield if you deny him some Ho-Hos. Have a spine, lady.

[Gramzamber]

I like how not even threats from the state are enough to get the mother to get her act together.
Instead, she whines to the media. Progress!

[Shroom Man 777]

I was a prick of a kid, and if my parents had this kind of 'omg so hard' attitude, I'd probably be in jail. Whoa, turns out raising a child involves responsiblity?!

WHO KNEW?

Wasn't there a similar case like this? The one where a ten year old girl became a fat tub of lard also weighing in at several hundred pounds, so HUEG to the point where she can no longer walk properly? What ever happened to that fattie?

[Kuja]

"At 13, how can I make him? What do you want me to do?" Brenda Lewis said. "Because of his weight he has gained diabetes and has high blood pressure."

He should've been taken from you years ago. He might've had a goddamn chance then.

[Broomstick]

Wasn't there a similar case like this? The one where a ten year old girl became a fat tub of lard also weighing in at several hundred pounds, so HUEG to the point where she can no longer walk properly? What ever happened to that fattie?

She eventually did take the weight off, but her leg bones were permanently deformed and even though she looks just mildly overweight now she still needs a walker to get around.

Unless that's yet another case I'm remembering....

[Junghalli]

You can't do that unless you have no self control what so ever or are actively trying to hit that weight. Please keep in mind three McDonalds extra large BigMac value meals is only about 5,900 calories(Plus soda) so you need to eat five of those a day to get this kind of weight gain this kid managed.

When I hear about cases like this I wonder if maybe the person has depression or some other emotional problem and is self-medicating with food. My first instinct is to think there may be more going on than a simple lack of self control because even if you gave me infinite quantities of food on demand and drugs that would undo all the adverse health effects of overheating I really don't think I'd eat like that; I simply wouldn't desire that much food. On the other I guess maybe if you really liked fatty foods...

[Isolder74]

Not another one!

He won't listen to me! This Mom does not get it does she. He can't eat something if you don't give him it. Don't let him have it by not buying it, duh!

Where do this morons come from?