Somali community rally around mother whose toddler was taken into care ‘illegally’

A Somali community campaigned today after a toddler was pulled out of his family home by undercover police after a neighbour allegedly told them he was being neglected.

Adar Hassan’s two-year-old son was taken into care on Monday (June 23) evening and she was arrested following a dramatic raid by police on her home in Eddison Court, Warple Way, in Shepherd’s Bush.

About 50 people from the area’s Somali community campaigned outside Hammersmith Town Hall today (June 26) to get the little boy returned to his mother who claims a neighbour called the police telling them Ms Hassan’s son was being neglected after taking a photo of her son when he went onto their fifth floor balcony for a minute earlier in the day. They claim they are being vilified because they are Somali.

 

The mother-of-four could not speak for two days out of shock following the incident where seven policeman, some in plain clothes, others in flak jackets, allegedly stormed into her home and told her they were taking her toddler into care.

Reportedly, there was no social worker with them, which there legally has to be to take a child into care, as well as a care order from a judge.

Her son, Zakaria Yusef, 18, who goes to Hammersmith Academy, was in the house when police came in. He said: “The police just came bursting in and told us they were taking the baby away because he was being neglected. At first it was just two police women but they called for undercover police and more with bullet-proof vests because we were all distraught, asking them what they were doing – we had no idea why they were there.

“The police told me to come down to the police station where my brother was being held and one police officer would say I could see him, then the next said I couldn’t. I stayed there for seven hours but in the end I never got to see him.”

Next-door neighbour, Kissu Denton Savage, was in her home when she heard all the commotion. “I saw their flat was full of police officers so I rushed in to help. The whole thing is absolutely ridiculous, Adar has four children and social services have never been involved, her eldest is studying at UCL and the other two are doing well at school, they’re much-loved children. How can the police just come and take him away without any hard evidence?”

The new leader of the council, Labour’s Steve Cowan, addressed the campaigners outside and told them he was talking to children’s services and was happy to help the borough’s Somali community who feel they are being condemned by the rest of society.

He said: “I’ve asked for a full report on exactly what’s happened. I can’t comment on that particular case but I have asked for the director of children’s services to give me a briefing and we will be taking up the issues you’ve raised with me with the police service and ask for them to review what’s happened. I have also heard from you today how you feel homogenised and do not feel listened to and we do not want that situation to continue and we are going to meet with different people and work with you to change that.”

It was confirmed that Ms Hassan’s toddler was returned to her this afternoon and she is overwhelmed by the support from the Somali community.