Philadelphia octogenarians fight to raise grandson

By Jon Hurdle

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A pair of Philadelphia octogenarians is battling a family court for custody of their 5-year-old grandson, whom authorities took away because they said the couple is too old to raise the hyperactive boy.

Mildred Brasovankin, 85, and her husband Morris, 89, are seeking the return of Steven, who was born a crack baby and has struggled with developmental problems including hyperactivity. City social workers, following a March court order, put him in foster care.

The couple say they can take care of Steven and are the boy's sole source of love and stability after he was born to a crack-addicted prostitute and their 54-year-old son, who has a history of mental illness.

A court hearing on Tuesday will determine whether the temporary order putting the boy into foster care should be made permanent. The couple will present evidence about their ability to look after the child.

"The more I think about this situation, the angrier I get," said Mildred in an interview at her home. "Look at the trauma they have placed on that child."

Across the United States, the number of children raised by grandparents has risen in recent decades. They step in often because the parents are in jail, addicted to drugs and alcohol or most recently, serving in Iraq, said Deborah Whitley, director of the National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren at Georgia State University.

In 2005, about 963,000 children were raised exclusively by grandparents, who are typically in their late 50s, Whitley said, quoting figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

CONFLICTING OPINIONS

In the Brasovankins' case, Philadelphia's social service agency said it sided with the grandparents but was compelled to follow a family court order to put Steven in care.

"The Philadelphia Department of Human Services recommended that the boy be allowed to remain in the care of the grandparents, despite their advanced ages," Acting Commissioner Arthur Evans said in a statement. "The court found otherwise and DHS complied with the court's order."

Kathleen Knese, the court's child advocate who argued in March for Steven to be put into foster care, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

The Brasovankins' attorney, Marc Collazzo, said Judge Ann Butchart didn't give a reason for ordering foster care for Steven, but evidently accepted Knese's argument that they were simply too old to care for a young child who has special needs and who might have to be moved if one of them becomes ill or dies.

Since Steven's premature birth as a 2-pound, 1-ounce "crack baby," he went to live intermittently but for substantial periods with his grandparents. They guided him through a series of doctors, therapists and schools to help with his developmental difficulties, they say.

On June 6, a city social worker arrived at Steven's school, took him away, and put him into the care of a foster family.

"You could have stuck a knife in me," said Morris. "This is his home."