Son of alternative medication advocate ‘should be taken into care,’ rules family court judge

Social services staff said the boy’s father advocated the use of Master Mineral Solution and his website included ‘paraphernalia for the administration of such products to babies’

Social workers said there were concerns that the boy might ingest ‘harmful alternative medication’ either directly or via his mother’s breast milk (Getty)

A baby boy whose father advocates the use of “harmful alternative medication” should be taken into council care, a family court judge has decided. The man had sold Master Mineral Solution (MMS) as a treatment for cancer and autism, social services staff told Judge Helen Black. Staff said MMS was a sodium chlorite solution equivalent to industrial-strength bleach – and they said the Food Standards Agency had warned that it should not be taken.

They said the man advocated the use of MMS and his website included “paraphernalia for the administration of such products to babies”. Social workers said there were concerns that the boy, now aged about eight months, might ingest “harmful alternative medication” either directly or via his mother’s breast milk.

Details of the case have emerged in a ruling published by the judge following a family court hearing in Portsmouth, Hampshire. Judge Black said the family involved could not be identified – but she said Southampton City Council had responsibility for the boy and had asked her to make decisions about the boy’s long-term future. She said the child’s father is English and his mother is Portuguese.

Judge Black said the little boy had been temporarily taken from his parents when he was a few days old after social workers and police became concerned about his safety. She said social workers had a number of worries – including concerns that the boy had not been given appropriate medical attention.

The judge said the boy’s parents had not attended family court hearings for a number of months – and had gone to Portugal. They had complained that their baby had been “kidnapped” by the council “in order to be adopted”. Judge Black countered that the couple had in fact "abandoned" their son and that no other family members had put themselves forward as potential carers.

“This child has been waiting in the care system almost from his birth... for decisions to be made about his future,” said Judge Black. “The parents have abandoned him in that they have not taken any steps which would enable the local authority or the court to consider recommencing contact let alone rehabilitation.” She added: “The court is satisfied that there is no-one who is in a position to meet the needs of the child and there is no relative who has the ability or willingness to meet the child's needs.”

Judge Black said taking children from parents and placing them in the care of councils was a “serious matter" and that such measures should only be taken if "nothing else will do". But she added: “There is no other option in this case.” Judge Black commended social services staff for the “tremendous efforts” they had made to “engage” the boy’s parents.

PA