Facebook bans mother for posting photos of baby with birth defect

[raye-chan]

Walker family

MEMPHIS, TN -

(WMC-TV) - A Mid-South mother has been banned from Facebook for the photos she posted of her newborn son.

Grayson James Walker was born on February 15, 2012.  He was born with Anencephaly, a rare neural tube birth defect in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.  Action News 5 shared the Walker's story about their sons eight hours of life shortly after he died.

Heather Walker recently posted pictures of Grayson without his hat on.

"Not long after, Facebook deleted them because of the content" she said.  "They allow people to post almost nude pictures of themselves, profanity, and so many other things but I'm not allowed to share a picture of God's beautiful creation."

Walker and her Facebook friends decided to re-post baby Grayon's photos in protest, and the mother is now on a 24-hour ban from the social networking website.

According to Facebook's community standards page, there are nine types of content that may be deemed offensive and removed:

• Violence and Threats
• Self-Harm
• Bullying and Harassment
• Hate Speech
• Graphic Violence
• Nudity and Pornography
• Identity and Privacy
• Intellectual Property
• Phishing and Spam

Walker says her photos of Grayson do not fall into any of those categories.

"I see all kinds of stuff, women's body parts, almost nudity, which is one of their standards, people cursing each other out, just profanity," said Walker.

Amazed at the amount of support she's received from all over the country, Walker says the photo is raising awareness.

"Just in two days, all these people have messaged me telling me how much God has used Grayson's life to touch them and to work in their hearts and to make them appreciate the children they have, that they have healthy children," she explained.

But not all messages have been in favor of the photos and to those people, Walker says they can friend her on Facebook at their own discretion.

"If you're my friend and you want to see the picture then look at it, but if you don't, just like any TV show or anything else you watch, if you don't want to see it you don't have to," said Walker.  "But I want to share this with people just like any other person wants to share their baby or their child."

Copyright 2012 WMC-TV. All rights reserved.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002547/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Benefit-for-Grayson-James-Walker/247676448648145

What would YOU do if you were in this family's position? Would you terminate the pregnancy? Would you carry to term and spend what time with your child that you could? Do you feel Facebook is in the wrong for banning these pictures? Or, should Facebook ban her? 

**Please do not flame others who respond to this post. This was not made in an attempt to belittle someone for the choice they would do if they were in this position. If you choose to view the pictures, please be aware of they are indeed saddening and heartbreaking**

Thank you to the lovely lady who gave me the link to their supporters page. If you want to support the family, see the link. 

https://www.facebook.com/TeamGrayson21512

[raye-chan]

I agree with you there. I can understand why some women don't terminate while others do. I guess the major thing that helps the situation is maybe the amount of support the entire family gives when making the decision. 

Quoting Courtney610:

I honestly don't know what I would have done. I want to say that I would continue with the pregnancy, but I'm not sure I would be strong enough.

[raye-chan]

Oh no! D: 

But yeah, you have a point there. I think if I were in that kind of situation I'd be unsure what to do too. I've terminated before and it's not pleasant but neither is birthing a child and to have the child die so soon after birth :( 

Yeah, you are right on it being personal strength. The amount of support a family gives could be another factor. 

Quoting ambermarie2006:

Anencephaly runs in our family, and truthfully I don't know if I could do it. Of course no one really knows unless you are put in that situation. I have had 1 family member carry to term, and 2 others decline to do it. It's all about personal strength.

[raye-chan]

I agree. I'm a sap when it comes to this stuff but after having my son, I bawled because it really is heartbreaking. 

Doctors told me the same thing with my son. Two ERs explained I was in the beginning stages of a miscarriage and to just go home and "wait it out" and one doc at an ER suggested terminating before it got seriously bad. I stayed strong, prayed and I wound up carrying a little past full term for my son. 

And yes, I agree with you on Facebook! To me, NONE of those photos were offensive. There's one floating around, the newborn left in the trashcan and that's more offensive to me than anything and yet, FB lets it stay up. I don't see much of a difference if they took her photos down because they were "offensive". 

Quoting KedrynsMommie:

This story is just heartbreaking. This beautiful family is so strong ((hugs))

I would have the baby and spend what time i could... hell i was told i would without a doubt miscarry ds.. i was even told to abort by the er dr..he was born early, and has a few medical issues but overall he's a happy healthy child. My miracle.


Fuck Facebook. You can post pics of yourself in two bandaids and a cork but a beautiful baby is inappropriate??

Smh. :(

[raye-chan]

I agree with you on that! Facebook was in the wrong. Nowhere like they said did she violate the terms and such. She posted beautiful pictures and someone just got a darn stick up their butt and decided to be idiots and say it was offensive. 

I hope she won't lose hope either. 

Quoting ruby_jewel_04:

I think facebook was totally and irrevacably wrong. Its hard to watch, yes. But it in no way violates their terms and conditions,  I feel like she is being denied the chance to share with everyone what a blessing her child was. even for the short time he was with her. I hope she doesn't lose hope, and that she wins her battle with FB.  

[raye-chan]

I understand that. It's heartbreaking either route you go. :(

Quoting pixiemom1988:

In this case I would terminate. I wouldnt have the strength to say good bye after delivering my baby.

[raye-chan]

=) Congrats on the doctor being wrong and you not thinking about aborting her. I can agree with you there. Even if my little one would only live for a few hours, I'd cherish him no matter what. 

I still wonder why those tests can back abnormal. o.O Does the defect run in your family by chance?

And congrats on your beautiful, healthy little girl =)

Quoting Samantha_1629:

When I was pregnant with my last baby one of the tests came back abnormal. The doctor told me that it could indicate a neural tube defect. He told me to go home and look it up. I was devastated! But never once did it cross my mind to abort my baby. That was my child no matter what! And even if my baby was only gonna live a few hours, those few hours would be the arms of a loving mother.

Thankfully my daughter was fine. The doctor didn't know why my test was abnormal but he did a ton of ultrasounds and determined that she was fine. He was right because she was born 9 months ago perfectly healthy. So I kinda know what those feelings are like and nothing could ever make me abort my child.

[raye-chan]

Yeah. Or, someone could have shared them and someone else that might not have been on her friend's list could have been offended. Who knows. :( But yeah, FB is in the wrong. 

Quoting usmc.momma:

I honestly don't know what to do but honestly Facebook is in the wrong. But someone in her friends list had to have reported the pic in the first place for it to have been deleted.

[raye-chan]

Oh cool =) I don't normally come across a lot of posts after page two or so I didn't even notice that. 

And yeah, I was going to post the link to her journal but stupid internet went crazy >.<

Quoting mylilprincesses:

 posted about this earlier

http://www.cafemom.com/group/266/forums/read/16601198/Facebook_Bans_a_Mother_from_Posting_pictures_of_her_son_who_was_born_with_a_defect

Now after losing Grayson, heather speaks out about how she decided to keep grayson full term.

http://oursweetboygraysonjames.blogspot.com/

[Jenniy]

I have a special needs child, his condition can severely damage his liver and kidneys to the point he'll need a transplant or die, I wouldn't trade him for the world. Every minute I spend with him is precious, I can say the same if I had a child that I knew wouldn't live very long. I would continue my pregnancy and spend all the time I could with my baby.

[raye-chan]

I understand why though. Either choice is tough.

Quoting steffielou_who:

I too, would terminate...