Allegan Well being Division threatens COVID-19 “protecting custody” for mother or father, baby “to guard public well being”

Posted on 09/02/2021.

Click to enlarge. A screenshot of a letter from the Allegan County Health Department.

By Scott McClallen | The central place

(The Center Square) – A widespread social media letter from Allegan County’s Department of Health threatens an injunction to put a parent and / or child who may be infected with COVID-19 in “preventive custody for the protection of the public Health ”.

The letter tells a parent that their child is “in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person” and orders that they work with the department.

“If you fail to take the action set out in this warning, the Allegan County Department of Health will seek an order from the District Court to enforce compliance, which may result in your being held in preventive custody for the protection of public health. “Reads the letter.

The letter contains threats to detain the child “for the protection of public health” and continues: “Should non-compliant behavior create an emergency situation where it becomes a health hazard to others, an immediate court order will be sought in accordance with Michigan Law MCL 333.5207. With the issue of this court order, he can be taken into protective custody for the protection of public health. “

Allegan County’s Health Department failed to respond to a request for comment.

Conservative policy advisor Fred Wszolek tweeted that the letter justified Unlock Michigan’s petition to amend the public health code to limit epidemic orders to 28 days. According to this, public health officials would have to obtain approval for an extension from the legislature or local administrative authorities.

“Rather than addressing parents with concern and compassion, the notice regards their child as a ‘carrier,'” Wszolek tweeted. “Before the parents are told how to look after their child, the child and / or parents are threatened with ‘protective custody’ if their demands are not met.”

Wszolek also led the petition to revoke Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s 1945 pandemic powers.

“These are the ‘public health experts’ who rule Michigan by decree, issuing orders with no limits, no deadlines, and no accountability. This is how Gretchen Whitmers Michigan became: faceless bureaucrats hurl threats at the taxpayers they serve. IT ALL ENDS with # Unlock2. “

Rep. Steve Johnson, R-Wayland, said the letter was a step too far.

“Now Allegan County’s health director threatens to sue parents in court if the department has ‘reasonable conviction’ that their child has been exposed to COVID-19 and they fail to comply with every order,” he wrote on Facebook.

“This could include measures by the county to take the child away from the parents and bring it into government custody. Allegan District Commission must fire this ruthless and tyrannical health director for threatening to take away people’s children because they may have come into close contact with someone who has had COVID. That should definitely not happen in Allegan County. “