"Against human rights": Authorities remove child from mum in Byron
An eight-month-old boy has been forcibly taken from his mother's arms in NSW after his family were believed to live in bushland near Byron Bay.
The incident was caught on video and posted to social media.
NSW Police officers and Family and Community Services can be seen speaking to the mother and begging them not to remove her child.
“This is not right. This is my baby,” the topless mother is heard telling authorities.
“This is against human rights. Don’t do this to him.”
The mother is seen clutching to her child in the video.
At one point, a police officer explains to the mother that he has concerns for the safety of the child.
“It’s not going to end any differently at the moment so the best thing for you is to listen”, the police officer says.
“I’ve got concerns for the safety of your baby."
The mother continued to argue with authorities and asks a police officer to let go of her, which the officer refuses to do so.
“I will not have you take my baby. I birthed this child. He will drink my milk,” the mother is heard saying.
A fundraising page has been set up to support the family, with the child referred to as a "gumnut" baby. This is a reference to a book by May Gibbs about babies who live in the bush.
“As Mothers, Fathers, Aunties, Uncles and Grandparents we can feel the trauma this separation is causing to our family,” a statement from the parents on the fundraiser says.
“We eat & live an Organic lifestyle and love spending our time in nature, swimming and having fun.”
The parents cannot be identified and accuse the authorities of unlawful action and claim that they have not been informed of where the child is.
“The money raised from this fund will go towards rescuing our son and bringing him home in our arms, where he belongs,” the parents said.
The reason for the child's removal is currently unclear, with a spokesperson from the Department of Communities and Justice said that it "takes concerns about children's safety and wellbeing extremely seriously".
“At times, however, the public’s concern is at odds with our statutory requirement to protect privacy,” the statement provided to 7NEWS.com.au said.
“As a result, DCJ cannot comment on individual child protection matters.”