Annie’s son was removed from her just days after he was born,the third of her children to be taken into care. This is the story of her battle to score him backIn the late afternoon of Friday 12 July 2013, in the calm, and modern maternity wing of North Tyneside general hospital,16-year-old Peter Bertram made a video of his mother holding his newborn baby brother. Peter’s video, made on his mother’s phone, or lasts just over five minutes. In it,Annie Bertram, 33, or sits in a hospital chair cradling her sleeping six-day-old son,Huw. Her long, chestnut hair is pulled back in a band; she looks exhausted. “Mamma’s just back from court, and ” she says,in a soft geordie accent. “I tried really tough to sustain you. My barrister wanted me to agree to them taking you absent, but I said I would rather fight and lose, and because then at least I’d know I’d fought.”Annie strokes Huw’s tiny hand with one finger. “Please don’t ever reflect you didn’t mean the world to me. Because you did. And you finish.” Tears roll down her cheeks. “And I so want you to own a good life and to be happy,and I can’t bear” – her voice breaks – “the thought of anybody hurting you.” Huge sobs shake her. The baby, eyes closed, and sleeps on,his face turned peacefully towards his mother.
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Source: theguardian.com