Social workers were alerted to the child's medical situation in March 2010 when the boy, then 7, was hospitalized for two weeks with severe breathing problems....

...We are happy the county terminated protective services. We think the case was ill-advised," Hardiman told Reuters. "Our plan was to get him out of the system as soon as possible. This whole thing has been about his weight with no concern to his emotional state."

Guess what, Einstein? His emotional state won't be an issue when he's dead.

Dude, his low weight is my current weight, and I'm still 15-ish pounds away from my goal. And his high weight is 5 lbs heavier than my 6'4" husband.

Dayum.

Poor kid. They should have left him with his uncle while both kid and mom entered therapy to discover the source of the issues. No way he is emotionally better with a mom who stuffs him like a pig.

When he was first taken from mom, I didn't want him stuck in the anonymous, overcrowded foster care system. His chances of ending up in a better situation were a crap shoot at best. But he was with family, his uncle, who seems to really care and have the boy's best interest at heart. He should have been left with the uncle until mom demonstrated real change.

And the fact that he's gained 7 pounds since getting back with her is evidence of the opposite of that.

At his heaviest, this kid outweighed me and my 3rd grader... COMBINED.

Hoping his mother works is willing to start doing what's necessary to bring her 9 year old son down to an acceptable, HEALTHY weight.

namegoeshere: When he was first taken from mom, I didn't want him stuck in the anonymous, overcrowded foster care system. His chances of ending up in a better situation were a crap shoot at best. But he was with family, his uncle, who seems to really care and have the boy's best interest at heart. He should have been left with the uncle until mom demonstrated real change.

And the fact that he's gained 7 pounds since getting back with her is evidence of the opposite of that.

Yeah I dunno, I just have a tough time agreeing with this sentiment. I just don't like the direction it heads, the government doesn't like the way you are parenting so it takes over for you?

The system worked," Stucki told attorneys after making his ruling.

When did this become the new way of saying that the system didn't work?

Smeggy Smurf: My ex-wife is doing her best to make our son as fat as possible so he will never fall victim to the mortal sin of vanity or lust.

I wish I was kidding.

At this time I would like to remind folks in this thread do not stick your dick in crazy.

lennavan: namegoeshere: When he was first taken from mom, I didn't want him stuck in the anonymous, overcrowded foster care system. His chances of ending up in a better situation were a crap shoot at best. But he was with family, his uncle, who seems to really care and have the boy's best interest at heart. He should have been left with the uncle until mom demonstrated real change.

And the fact that he's gained 7 pounds since getting back with her is evidence of the opposite of that.

Yeah I dunno, I just have a tough time agreeing with this sentiment. I just don't like the direction it heads, the government doesn't like the way you are parenting so it takes over for you?

Why does the mom have custody instead of the dad?

bulldg4life: I must say...I don't really feel all that bad about being 6'3" 245 and having to wear size 40 pants instead of size 38. Granted, I still want to be down to 220ish by the end of the year...but, damn dude. Stop stuffing grease and cheetos in his face.

You don't feel bad for a third grader because you as an adult have a weight problem that isn't as bad as his?

Well, that last bit is an assumption I admit. I presume a third grader doesn't have even close to your height.

Chubby 3rd grader? That's a beatin'.

from the details in the article, I'm guessing this isn't some hormonal issue causing him to gain weight, so she just has to be allowing him (enabling or forcing...) to eat WAAAY more than he needs. I may be mistaken but I think it's roughly...what...3500 calories are equal to a pound? he's basically packing in 3 days worth of calories every day, maybe more.

lennavan: namegoeshere: When he was first taken from mom, I didn't want him stuck in the anonymous, overcrowded foster care system. His chances of ending up in a better situation were a crap shoot at best. But he was with family, his uncle, who seems to really care and have the boy's best interest at heart. He should have been left with the uncle until mom demonstrated real change.

And the fact that he's gained 7 pounds since getting back with her is evidence of the opposite of that.

Yeah I dunno, I just have a tough time agreeing with this sentiment. I just don't like the direction it heads, the government doesn't like the way you are parenting so it takes over for you?

If the parenting is putting the kid in the hospital, yes.

netweavr: Why does the mom have custody instead of the dad?

Ohio is a "family first" state regarding custody. Short of LEOs finding the mother covered in blood over a dead body with a dripping axe and felony levels of narcotics on her person, judges will pretty much never award custody to the father in this state.

It's insane and provides results like this at times. How the hell do you get a 3rd grader to be that fat?

I can't talk, I've got ~20 # on the kid. I'm also 6'2" and have soccer/skater/armored combatant legs.

/I sound fat
//losing the extra desk job tonnage currently

Benevolent Misanthrope: RexTalionis: Benevolent Misanthrope: Holy Fark - what the everloving fark is she feeding him?

One can only guess it's buttered lard.

If it were, he'd probably have lost alot of water weight as he entered ketosis. And his appetite would also decrease precipitously. My guess is she feeds him whatever he says he wants. Which, if he wants that much, indicates a hormonal imbalance or an emotional problem. Or maybe she's just trained him to eat way too much over the years. I know I had to learn in adulthood what a normal portion size is, and not to eat until my stomach hurt.

/lost 80 pounds on low carb last year
//Yes, i cook with lard. And butter. And bacon grease.

glad someone pointed this out.

always get the best looks of horror / disgust from my coworkers when i order my coffee with heavy cream.

/been eating this way for almost 3 years - lost 20 + pounds and all the blood tests are a-ok.
//plus i love what i eat every meal
///csb

lennavan: namegoeshere: When he was first taken from mom, I didn't want him stuck in the anonymous, overcrowded foster care system. His chances of ending up in a better situation were a crap shoot at best. But he was with family, his uncle, who seems to really care and have the boy's best interest at heart. He should have been left with the uncle until mom demonstrated real change.

And the fact that he's gained 7 pounds since getting back with her is evidence of the opposite of that.

Yeah I dunno, I just have a tough time agreeing with this sentiment. I just don't like the direction it heads, the government doesn't like the way you are parenting so it takes over for you?

I understand what you are saying, and normally I'd agree. But this is an extreme circumstance. He's not just a little chubby. He's already been hospitalized for two weeks for severe breathing problems. IMO this is medical neglect, the same as if he had a life threatening illness that his mother was not treating.

Kids get taken for medical neglect all the time.

And they get free cooking classes and a YMCA membership out of the deal. She should pimp him out to Subway. Jared's starting to get a little plump.

RexTalionis: Holy moley. That 3rd grader weighed over 10 pounds more than I do.

Holy moley. That 3rd grader weighed 86 pounds more than I do.

Should have stayed a mouse.

Benevolent Misanthrope: RexTalionis: Benevolent Misanthrope: Holy Fark - what the everloving fark is she feeding him?

One can only guess it's buttered lard.

If it were, he'd probably have lost alot of water weight as he entered ketosis. And his appetite would also decrease precipitously. My guess is she feeds him whatever he says he wants. Which, if he wants that much, indicates a hormonal imbalance or an emotional problem. Or maybe she's just trained him to eat way too much over the years. I know I had to learn in adulthood what a normal portion size is, and not to eat until my stomach hurt.

/lost 80 pounds on low carb last year
//Yes, i cook with lard. And butter. And bacon grease.

Sounds like me. Eat till I hurt, and then finish off whatever the kids didn't eat. I stopped that and lost 20 lbs in a year, but put them back on rather quickly, then I just did smaller portions, and have lost that 20 plus an extra 30.

I was never more than 230lb though. I got close several times, but it was always motivation to change things. I don't know what it takes to start pushing 250 or 300. I have no frame of reference for that. I started getting close to 230 back in college, and I stopped drinking soda and beer, walked to classes instead of driving, and ate a little less.

This kid's problem is he has no food role model. It's good that the family is getting education on what to cook, but how long will it last after the support ends?

The "experts" have been harping on people's eating habits for as long as I can remember, and nothing has helped. American's don't seem to care. Our people keep getting fatter and fatter and fatter.

I'm not conspiracy minded, and I try to avoid that stuff like the mental plague it is, but something besides laziness seems to be at work here. Is it the "health" food loaded with calories, but hey it has FIBER! or ANTIOXIDANTS! or OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS!!! It's good for me!

Father: "Unknown" is damned near inexcusable for a society that claims to have the technology to identify lineage from a single strand of hair or drop of blood.

meat0918: Sounds like me. Eat till I hurt, and then finish off whatever the kids didn't eat. I stopped that and lost 20 lbs in a year, but put them back on rather quickly, then I just did smaller portions, and have lost that 20 plus an extra 30.

I mean I lost that 20 lbs again and an extra 10 for a total of 30.

If I lost 50lbs, that would put me at 175, and at 6'2" with very little muscle mass, I'd worry I'd look sick.

netweavr: Father: "Unknown" is damned near inexcusable for a society that claims to have the technology to identify lineage from a single strand of hair or drop of blood.

I see that the same way I see the evolution vs. creationism in schools thing. Would it really make any difference?

namegoeshere: I understand what you are saying, and normally I'd agree. But this is an extreme circumstance. He's not just a little chubby

I get it and in this case I'm certainly happy it happened and a bit disappointed she got the kid back. I mean, it seems clear in this case being with the uncle is best for the kid. Like I said, I just don't like the direction this heads.

SweetSilverBlues: If the parenting is putting the kid in the hospital, yes.

Here's the thing, taken literally this statement is really stupid. My kid has been in the hospital three times. I guess that makes me a serial offender? But I know that's silly, I get what you actually meant by this statement. Something on the order of "if stupid parenting is putting the kid in the hospital." How do you define "stupid parenting" and who gets to define it? That's a direction I don't want to head, I don't want the government telling me placing a newborn to bed on its belly is correlated with an increased death rate so if they catch me I'm going to jail. That's my point.

lennavan: I don't want the government telling me placing a newborn to bed on its belly is correlated with an increased death rate so if they catch me I'm going to jail.

It's inevitable. Behold the power of morons who say "there ought to be a law."

9 years old and weighs 173 lbs (78 kg)

The_Sponge: Running away from a rapey uncle is great exercise.

I doubt it.

Benevolent Misanthrope: If it were, he'd probably have lost alot of water weight as he entered ketosis

Correct me if I'm wrong, but provided he received X amount of carbs, he wouldn't be ketosis regardless of how much fat and protein he piled on top of that.

Obviously there is still something messed about that, given that a medium amount carbs still shouldn't be loading him up with blood sugar spikes and crazy food cravings. I'd say there is definitely something emotional about his eating, as you said. Probably social too, with a 'good time with mom' being 'eating till we pass out'. My family holds food a little too close to happiness. Not to that level, but if the family was ever doing something fun together, it was always happening alongside some minor binging at the least, some sort of cake or special treat, eating out, all that.

If I ever have kids I hope I can find a way to raise them without that association while restraining myself from going too far in the opposite direction and pull a preacher's daughter effect.

Third grade is what, eight years old? I would probably feel a mixture of revulsion and pity when I saw the poor scrap, then make him heathy food and take him swimming.
/Sorry about the revulsion, but he weighed more than twice as much as me right now. That's pretty unbelievable.

Woohoo! I weigh more than a third grader!

/I may not be smarter than one though....

WhippingBoy: ihatedumbpeople: from the details in the article, I'm guessing this isn't some hormonal issue causing him to gain weight, so she just has to be allowing him (enabling or forcing...) to eat WAAAY more than he needs.

How can a "hormonal issue" cause you to gain weight??? Does it cause the ambient calores present in the air to be absorbed through your skin or something?

It could relate to excessive hunger. Of course "mom" could have just said "no." But I get the impression she was never very adapt at using that word.

It's probably terrible to say, but the world is probably going to be better off without this kid and his mom.