They were born in controversy. And their lives were saved despite it.
The B.C. government seized three of the surviving sextuplets born in that province earlier this month, so they could be given blood transfusions.
Their parents are Jehovah's Witness, a faith that expressly forbids the procedure.
And despite the fact the Supreme Court of Canada has affirmed their right to refuse treatment on religious grounds, officials out west acted before the family could launch a court challenge.
The move came even though the unidentified family had expressly stated the treatment not be carried out and that alternate options should be used.
"The family is very upset that the government treated them in the way it did," their lawyer Shane Brady condemns. "It's like a hit and run."
He went to the B.C. Supreme Court Wednesday to challenge the seizure order, when the government suddenly withdrew it.
The children have now been returned but the parents want to make a point and have asked for a court date to argue against the province's right to make the decision it did. That case will be heard in late February.
"We don't take any such action without a great deal of forethought, recognizing that it's a significant step for the state to interfere in a family," agrees B.C. Minister of Children and Families Tom Christensen, who refused to specifically discuss this current case. "But we want to ensure in every case that children are receiving the attention they require."
Two of the infants, born just 25 weeks old, died a few weeks ago. The others are struggling for life and doctors had previously warned the small children would be more prone to infection and medical problems because of the circumstances of their birth.
Save this page on del.icio.us
Sign up for a del.icio.us account here to save your bookmarks for free online.