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A baby taken from a Texas couple after being born at home will be returned to a Dallas court

Mila Jackson, newborn Foster care was taken by Texas officials in late AprilHe will return home before the scheduled hearing on Thursday afternoon.

Mila was taken into the custody of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on March 30. She was born at home on March 21, but soon after developed jaundice. The family’s longtime pediatrician did not believe that her parents, Tamecia and Rodney Jackson, were providing proper care, so contacted DFPS, leading to an incident that led to Rodney Jackson’s brief arrest and Mila being placed in foster care for three weeks.

Jackson’s midwife, Cheryl Edinbard, who attended the home birth, was providing care, they said. A preliminary court hearing was scheduled for April 6, but was postponed until April 20.

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Temecia and Rodney Jackson at a press conference after their daughter was placed in DFPS custody.

Afia Centre

In a news release issued Thursday morning, the Afia Center, a Texas-based fertility and birth justice organization that represents the Jacksons, said the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office decided to reunite Mila with her parents “late last night and overnight.”

The district attorney’s office said it does not comment on cases involving the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Jackson’s case made headlines nationwide, especially after it was revealed that the court documents authorizing Miller’s removal had different people listed as Miller’s parents. It is not yet clear who the people listed in the document are. CBS News has not been able to contact them, and is not identifying them.

According to a news release from the Afia Center, the Jacksons will “enjoy some private time with their daughter and their two older children”. A rally to support the family during their court appearance today has been cancelled.

“I’m happy that justice has prevailed and I’m grateful for the Afia Center and everyone involved in the return of this child,” Edinbard told CBS News Thursday morning. “I’m actually looking forward to giving her her first postpartum visit and celebrating her being home with her parents.”

Timeline of events in the Mila Jackson case

After a successful home birth, the Jacksons brought Mila to their family pediatrician for what they called a “newborn checkup” on March 24. Shortly thereafter, pediatrician Dr. Anand Bhatt called Tamesia Jackson and said that Mila needed to be brought to a nearby hospital. He told the press conference to treat jaundice.

Jaundice is fairly normal in newborns and can cause a yellow appearance. According to the documents, Bhatt told a DFPS investigator that a bilirubin test, which is used to find the cause of health problems such as jaundice, showed a bilirubin level of 21.7 milligrams. This, he told DFPS, is “a cause of great concern” and can cause brain damage. According to the website of the American Academy of Pediatrics, any level above 20 milligrams in a child Miller’s age at that time would mean the child needs treatment.

Edinbard told CBS News that he found the bilirubin level to be “high” but not critical. He said Jackson had already ordered AA blankets and goggles to provide light therapy, one of the treatment options for jaundice, and plans to provide another treatment option, improved nutrition.

Temesia Jackson said that on March 24 Bhatt told her that she would call DFPS if the family did not bring Mila to the hospital. Around 4 a.m. on March 25, DFPS and police arrived at Jackson’s home, but were denied entry. An hour later, officers came to the home a second time but were again denied entry. At a press conference, the Jacksons said they felt “horrified” by the visits.

On March 30, officers returned to Jackson’s home with a warrant. The documents show that a program director at DFPS authorized Mila’s removal “due to her health being in immediate danger of serious long-term consequences.”

Rodney Jackson, who was not home at the time, was arrested upon his return. Court documents show he was charged with one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of obstructing the execution of a civil process against the Jacksons, and Edinbard said that when Rodney Jackson was arrested, his keys were taken and officers entered the home and took Mila away. From Temecia Jackson.

While Mila was in foster care, the Jacksons were able to see her on supervised visits, Edinbard told CBS News. The two eldest children of the family were not taken out of the house.

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Kerry Breen

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