One family’s custody battle with the Department of Human Services over their children became more complicated when their daughters, now ages six and two were placed in a foster care home that’s left many worried about the girls’ overall wellbeing and safety. 

In May 2012 Jessica Reed and Maged Mousa’s daughters were removed from their home by officials from Child Protected Services after a neighbor witnessed Sophia, six, playing outside without parental supervision. 

Sophia never left her parent’s backyard, and was with other children, although the parents of those children were never reported to authorities. 

Reed was pregnant with twins at the time the incident occurred. She says Sophia managed to escape from the home through a sliding door that was open while she accidentally fell asleep.

Immediately after Reed gave birth to the twins in June, the DHS also took custody of them. She says her children were illegally removed from her because the DHS never presented a court order or document proving it was authorized to take the children away. 

Officials also never presented a search warrant when entering the home to remove the children.  

Besides Sophia being spotted outside without parental supervision, officials have not offered any additional explanation of why Reed and her husband aren’t suitable parents. 

In December the couple regained full custody of their twins, but they’re still fighting to get their other children back. 

The couple currently has custody of Sophia and Nadiya, two, every weekend while they’re in foster care with a family that Reed has accused of emotionally and physically abusing them.   

A court hearing is scheduled Mar. 7 at 1:30 p.m. at the Oakland County Circuit Court, where a judge will rule over whether the couple can have full custody of Sophia and Nadiya.  

The community is encouraged to attend, although the hearing may be moved to an earlier date since the couple has been complying with court procedures required to get the children back. 

Jessica Reed sits with her two twins she regained custody of in December, and her two other daughters who are in foster care. Photo courtesy of the Reed family

Suitable housing with the couple’s relatives was available, and Reed says in accordance to state laws DHS should have granted her relatives custody of the girls, but still proceeded to put them in a home with strangers. 

Reed says the children have been seen with bruises and marks on them, after being placed in the new foster care home. When she reported the alleged physical abuse to state officials she was told it wasn’t unusual for the marks and bruises to appear on children. 

Reed says Sophia has also complained to school officials and her biological parents that she doesn’t want to return to the foster care family, because they’re mean to her.  “The state is allowing this to happen,” Reed said.  

She says since being with the new family the children’s attitudes have changed and they appear to be emotionally distressed. 

She says the children’s minds are being manipulated into believing that their biological parents don’t want or love them. Reed says Sophia has asked her mother whether she loves or wants her. 

Sophia has also been told not to trust her own teachers according to Reed. She says that’s because Sophia could say something against the foster care parents, which would prove that the DHS did place the children in an unsafe home, and possibly result in a lawsuit against the agency.  

Dearborn resident Rehab Amer has stood by the couple’s side throughout the whole ordeal by offering guidance and support.  For Amer Reed’s case hits close to home. 

Amer and her husband had their three children taken from them after Amer was charged with negligence in the death of their two year old son Samier. Samier had fallen in the bathtub, and died from injuries sustained. She was eventually acquitted of all charges.  

Amer says the community has rallied in support of the couple by attending court hearings, and sending a strong message to the judge that the couple are suitable and loving parents. 

Amer says the community’s support played a vital role in helping get the couple’s twins back, and noted that if the community had come out to support her in the same way her situation may have had a different outcome.   

“They need to investigate thoroughly before they remove a child from the home. And just admit they’re wrong when they are. They can’t just take children away without any evidence of wrongdoing,” Amer said. 

Amer, Reed and others have complained that the DHS too often favors foster care parents over biological parents.  

That could be because officials don’t want to admit that they placed children in a dangerous foster care home, and be held accountable. 

“They make things extremely difficult for the biological parents, but let the foster care parents get away with a lot,” Reed said. 

The couple has moved out of the Farmington Hills apartment complex where their children were taken away, saying they endured harassment from neighbors there including bubble gum being placed on their car handles, and  were harassed about where they could park.  They now live in Westland. 

Reed’s biggest fear is that Sophia may carry memories of being mistreated at the foster care home when she gets older. 

“It’s been mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting,” she said.  “I am not just some special case.. Similar cases are happening all around the country,” she said. The family is in need of financial assistance and has found it difficult to pay attorney fees. To donate to the couple visit www.gofundme.com/1fyau8.