Court grants protection order over child neglect case

The West Kowloon Magistrates' Court on Friday granted a three-year protection order for a baby boy to the Social Welfare Department, after his parents were earlier arrested on suspicion of child neglect. The infant was then placed in a shelter under professional care, with the parents later being released on bail. In a statement, the Social Welfare Department said it will arrange for the baby boy to receive continuous care by professional staff at the existing residential childcare centre, and carry out the welfare plan and care arrangements as directed by the court. The case sparked concern after the couple said they gave birth to their baby boy, Danny, at home, and had initially refused to provide DNA samples required for his birth certificate. The department said it has convened a multi-disciplinary case conference with relevant professionals for a comprehensive assessment of the case, and classified the incident as child neglect. "Having holistically considered the baby boy's safety and best interests, the background and current living conditions of the family, and the potential risks of the case, the department submitted a report to the court setting out recommendations on the welfare plan for the baby boy," the department said in a statement. It reiterated that the government attaches great importance to the well-being of children and firmly believes that every child has a right to protection and appropriate care against harm. The department also said it would provide appropriate support and counselling to the baby boy's family, and report progress to the court at an appropriate time. Speaking to reporters after hearing the court's decision, the couple said they were disappointed, but will not file an appeal as they think their chances of success are low. They said they are currently allowed to visit their son for less than an hour a week, but believed that they will ultimately be able to bring their child home after further communication with the department. Edited by Aaron Tam