Shared from the baby Kane’s mother, Kasey Sigman.

May 8th 2021 after a long pregnancy complicated by excessive vomiting and my prescriptions I had to take.. Our son was born. Labor was not very long, but we had shoulder dystocia. We were absolutely ecstatic to welcome a son to our family. My 4 year old was SO excited to be a big sister. Life was BEAUTIFUL.

May 11th 2021 We took our son in to meet his pediatrician, our family doctor. Who noted he was very concerned for babies cry as it was very abnormal. We all notice Kane’s white of his eyes were blue.

Between may 11th and may 25th we were becoming increasingly concerned about our new baby. He was crying inconsolably so we remained in constant contact with his doctor via “portal messages” and phone calls.

May 25th the worry became overwhelming. Kane’s belly was swollen like a balloon. So we took him to the ER. They took xrays and noted shadows were present “possible pneumonia”. And we were sent on our way with their explanation of he’s just a gassy baby.

May 26th we had a follow up with our family doctor. We were still worried. Kane was spitting up. Kane was uncomfortable. Kane was not okay. Our doctor said… Try switching him to sensitive formula instead of breast milk..then we will revisit the subject. At this visit the doctor noted Kane had significantly abnormal Fontanelles with delayed closure.

June 7th 2021 we found a mark on our babies calf. Panicked, I called my mother and We messaged our doctor. He said we can stick to coming into our appointment already previously scheduled for June 8th well child check. So we did just that and waited.

June 8th comes… When we should be celebrating our son’s 1 month of being alive instead we go to his doctor. Worried. After they lay eyes on Kane the doctor tells us he recommends we go to Mary Bridge for xrays. He informs us that there will be an investigation launched on us for the mark by DCYF once we get to Mary Bridge. DCYF involvement was the least of our worries. We needed to know what was wrong with our baby. We wanted him to have relief. So off we went to Tacoma.

Tacoma Mary Bridge questions us and found several fractures and decided to send us to harborview medical center Seattle.

So off we went. I buckled Kane into his carseat.. the paramedics strapped my new baby to the gurney and load Kane and I in the ambulance. Kane’s dad follows us up. I am questioned the entire ambulance ride.

We arrive at Harborview. I don’t know what time this was, as we have been up with our new baby in pain all night the previous night and have been being questioned all day long repeating our truth.

Harborview does skeletal surveys on our son and denies us genetic testing. They find breaks. Decline genetic testing again. They question us about what happened over and over. Hoping we give a different story. Hoping we say something inconsistent. I have been raised that the truth will set you free. Be honest. Be respectful. So I did. Doctors are supposed to help your child, right? Wrong. Little did I know during telling my truth it was being noted that “moms at bedside crying baby has non accidental trauma”

They tell us the fractures in our 4 week old are “3-5 weeks old”

Then go on to say can’t be from birth.

The child abuse pediatrician calls Seattle Police Department. They separate kane’s dad and I. We are questioned, where I am directly asked questions on if I trust his dad. How his dad acts with no sleep. All the things to paint a dad hurt baby picture.

He didn’t. I didn’t. So we kept telling the truth. That wasn’t enough.

Harborview had Luke leave the hospital. Harborview let me stay with Kane with a Seattle police officer sitting right next to me. I continued to get questioned. I am asked to send them pictures I took of my babies leg mark. I do. Doctors are supposed to help you. Police are supposed to help you. So I do as I’m told. The night goes on. . I continue to be asked the same questions but different staff members, on no sleep.

Harborview drew labs on Kane that night and they came back with extremely low vitamin d and elevated phosphate. Harborview continued to deny my requests for genetic testing.

They inform me the next morning I need to leave my baby at the hospital an hr before a social worker and placement come get him. And if I refuse or try to take him I’ll be charged with kidnapping.

There was a nurse who was being kind to me..so thru my tears and sobs I beg the nurse to be the one to sit with my baby until the social worker and my parents arrive to get him so he isn’t alone. The feelings of having to leave your newborn with strangers in such a situation is something I will never forget.
I choked out the words ‘I love you’ to my son and I left not knowing what will happen next.

June 18th Kane’s temporary caregivers took him to his doctor and they did labs which showed, once again, low vitamin d. They noted once again abnormal shaped Fontanelles. Delayed closure.

July 14th another checkup on Kane happens. Abnormal Fontanelles and concerns over popping bones and fussy baby from caregivers.
Labs are finally ordered and drawn for genetic abnormalities.

August 31st 2021 kane’s labs come back. He has the LRP5 Gene Mutation which is associated with Metabolic Bone diseases- Osteogenesis imperfecta.

Finally An ANSWER.

September 1st our social worker tells us she’s aware of the genetic results and that it doesn’t explain Kane’s fractures.
We continue to do ALL the assessments voluntarily that DCYF has to offer. We completed Drug and alcohol evals, random UAs, DV Anger Management Assessments, Psychological evals, parenting class, ANYTHING they ask.

September 14th our social worker tells us we cannot have a visit between Abigail our oldest daughter and her brother.

September 24th 2021 Kane is removed from grandparents due to many safety concerns, and Kane is placed in Olympia at a foster home.

From September 24th 2021 to 3/30/2022 we go to DCYFs nearest visitation office to where our son is housed in Olympia. 4 days a week. For 2 hrs a slot to soak in those 120 minutes we are allowed each time. In a room we held our son with a visit supervisor sat right next to us the entire time. Each time. 4 days a week we went from Aberdeen, to Olympia , to Raymond and back. Repeat. In the snow, rain, anything Just to see our children who should have never been separated from us.

March 30th 2022 a order to return Kane home to us is approved. Our nightmare starts to turn.

March 31st before returning Kane home to us DCYF wanted to do a skeletal survey on Kane. So they didn’t tell us and instead had the foster mother take him in. She informed us when and where as it was our right to attend. We did. At Providence the Radiology Technicians come out and tell us neither the parents or foster mother can go back with Kane for the exams. This wasn’t something her or us were willing to do. The foster mother gave pushback to them, Kane shouldn’t be alone with strangers. But it didn’t matter Kane belongs to the state so it had to go on. In the waiting room we all say listening to him Scream for over an hour. Xrays are finally done. The foster mother takes Kane home and starts preparing his belongings.

I get a call that afternoon from my attorney. Kane’s radiology shows four new fractures. WHILE being in state care. Never being alone with his dad or I, as Our visits were 100% supervised by DCYF.

I then call the social worker. She’s frantic. She is searching for placement and asks ME if I have somewhere he can go. Even tho he was just ordered return home the day before, they wanted ME to figure out elsewhere to send my son. So, I did. I provided a family member. A safe family member. They place Kane there that evening. All is okay. Our son is finally safe, with his family.

Wrong. Next day, DCYF says the family member actually isn’t suitable, baby has to be moved AGAIN to a stranger in Olympia.

Heartbroken I write a note “please be gentle with me I have a bone disease” …pack his bag with his blankey, his note, his foods and my family member has to take him to DCYF. Kane cried. Kane was confused. Worried. Being moved again. DCYF would not give us any reason as to why my family was acceptable when they were in a pinch for an entire night but then suddenly wasn’t okay.

April 3rd, 2022 our final daughter Zoey was born at Providence.

Horrified at the thought of removal, I beg for genetic testing to be immediately done on her. They said no. I ask for them to just do a skeletal survey on her to check for birth injuries. They said no.

I was scheduled to get a tubal litigation after birth. I got prepped for it, and am then told a social worker is going to talk to me about Removing Zoey but that” they can just do it in the procedure room because you won’t be all the way under” so they wanted me to make decisions, absorb what they are saying about taking my new baby while not even in my right mind. So I had to call off surgery.

DCYF finds a judge that has no idea our situation. Not our regular judge on our case. They give that judge a petition to remove Zoey. They fail to tell that judge that Kane was ordered home. Failed to tell that judge Kane has received new fractures in their care.

So we are placed on a hold in the hospital we cannot leave the hospital with Zoey.

April 6th 2022 we are finally in court again, in front of the regular judge. He does not let them remove Zoey. He tells them to return our children immediately. DCYF brings Kane to Providence, we get discharged, and get to go home with our children.

My attorney files a motion for dismissal. It gets ‘continued’ because suddenly The state agrees Kane needs more genetic testing.

So we continue to comply. DCYF enrolled us in a in home parenting class. DCYF is allowed random check Ins day or night with us. But they only do so once or less a week m-f between 8 & 5… Because we are so allegedly dangerous 😐

So now here we sit with 2 specialists saying Kane has OI. Kane’s results saying Kane has OI kane’s radiology saying he has OI. But since one “child abuse doctor” a year ago will not acknowledge it we still fight for our children. For them to stay home. For the case to be closed.

My children were medically kidnapped, my son was medically neglected and therefore broken In DCYF Care, and my new daughter was a victim of attempted state kidnapping.

Until something changes with our system, and my kids receive justice for what they’ve endured I will not stop telling our story. I will not stop warning other parents. Something needs to change.

If you can please share our story. Don’t let what happened to Kane happen to your children.

If you would like to share Kacey’s story on Facebook, find it here.