Family representative denies mother failed to feed children

The representative of a family from the Ukmergė district, from which authorities decided to remove six children, has rejected claims that the mother was unable to feed her children, LRT reports.

The State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service (VVTAĮT) stated that the family is not cooperating with child protection specialists. However, the family’s legal representative, Dalia Jasevičienė, a lawyer’s assistant, insisted that the service is the one refusing dialogue.

VVTAĮT claims the family’s newborn died due to neglect, but Jasevičienė provided a death certificate stating the infant passed away from Patau syndrome. The service, however, maintains the child died from exhaustion due to insufficient feeding.

“The service says the child was underfed by the mother and suggests teaching her how to feed children. We categorically disagree with this position,” Jasevičienė said.

She added that multiple child protection specialists had previously assessed the family and found no violations as of June 17. The service has not specified what new violations have since emerged.

Jasevičienė accused VVTAĮT of refusing to engage in meaningful dialogue, calling its actions a “facade of non-cooperation” and a failure to seek solutions. She also denied the service’s claims that the remaining six children face threats to their well-being, emotional security, development, or health.

VVTAĮT has stated that the decision to remove the children was not based solely on the infant’s condition but on broader concerns for the other children’s welfare.