An obese third grader got to reunite with his mother after losing weight. Click below to read more about the story.
A 9-year-old Ohio boy was reunited with his mom after he lost more than 50 pounds and agreed to join a local gym.
The unidentified child made national news when he was snatched from his home in March 2010 because of concerns over his weight.
The case sparked a debate over whether the state can take away a child who is not eating properly.
According to Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services caseworkers, the boy was tipping the scales at over 200 pounds and had problems breathing. His mother, authorities charged, wasn’t doing enough to control his weight and was subjecting him to a lifetime of health problems.
But the American Civil Liberties Union and the boy’s mom said they weren’t concerned about his mental health.
On Thursday, a visiting Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court judge agreed, Reuters reported.
“It is the right thing to do at this time,†Judge David Stucki said. “The best interest of the child has been protected and supported. The system worked.â€
After being placed with his uncle in Columbus, the third-grader lost 53 pounds to reach a low weight of 166 pounds.
He has gained 6 pounds since returning to his mother’s house on April 23, according to Reuters.
As part of his return home, the boy will join a local YMCA and the family will receive cooking lessons, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reported.
The family may not be celebrating quite yet, however.
If authorities believe that the mother is not properly managing the child’s weight, he can be taken away again in 90 days, the judge ruled, according to Reuters.
“We are offering nutritional and health counseling,” Mary Louise Madigan, spokeswoman for Child Family Services, told the Plain-Dealer. “We don’t want to come back to court.
