Suzy and Peter Theodoro allege Middletown hospital forced C-section and accused couple of a host of allegations, which lead to the DCF illegally taking custody of their newborn daughter
NASHVILLE, Tennessee—For Nashville parents Suzy and Peter Theodoro, a trip to visit family in New Jersey followed by a spur-of-the-moment babymoon in Maine turned into something resembling a Hollywood horror movie script. Fueled by an emergency hospital stop in Middletown, Conn., an unauthorized caesarean section, and their newborn daughter taken into custody by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Theodoro family is in the fight of their lives to regain custody of baby Sofia, who has been in DCF’s custody for the past eight months.
The couple was visiting family in New Jersey when they decided, at the behest of family and friends, to take an impromptu babymoon in Maine. The family in New Jersey offered to watch the Theodoro’s other two children. While driving through Middletown, Conn. on their way to Maine, Suzy began to experience back pains. At 38 weeks pregnant with her third child, she and her husband, both with formal educations in the medical field, were concerned about Suzy going into labor or other complications. Their decision to stop at a hospital in Middletown proved to be one they would regret.
The couple claims they were immediately met with suspicion. Peter Theodoro, of African and Egyptian descent, was accused by hospital employees of being a Muslim terrorist who was fleeing the law. The mixed-racial couple was met with disdain as well as a barrage of questions regarding their travel, the validity of their prescription drugs, and their housing circumstances. The couple claims hospital staff accused them of being vagrants and gypsies living out of their car.
Horrified by the treatment they were receiving, their nightmare continued when Suzy was forced to stay in the custody of the hospital upon accusations that she was a drug user, despite negative toxicology screenings and valid prescriptions for the medications in her possession. She claims she was then forced to give birth via C-section, despite their wishes to deliver baby Sofia vaginally.
Upon baby Sofia’s birth, the Connecticut DCF took her into custody where she has remained for the past eight months. Despite the Theodoros meeting all of the DCF’s requirements to regain custody of Sofia, she is still not back with her family. They are turning to the public for assistance to help get out the word and assist with raising funds for the legal fees they are incurring to battle against the Connecticut DCF.
“All we want is for our baby to be home with us,” said Sofia’s mother Suzy Theodoro. “The Middletown hospital engaged in gross medical abuse and kidnapping by holding me against my will and forcing me to deliver Sofia via C-section. The Connecticut DCF has also been complicit in this kidnapping, refusing to give us our baby back without valid grounds to take her in the first place. And even in spite of their unfounded allegations and illegal kidnapping, we’ve done everything they’ve asked us to do and they still refuse to return her to us. No family should have to go through this nightmare.”
The family has set up a GoFund me account to help with legal fees associated with their battle against the Connecticut DCF and to spread the word about their case. Visit https://standforsofia.com/ to learn more or to donate.
