Cindy De Barros: My Story with Child Protection
- Four years ago, Cassandra Begot fled an abusive relationship and arrived in Valence with her two older daughters and her six-month-old son, Stanley.
- Today, Begot lives in Vienne, located in the Nord Isère region of France.
- Now five years old, Stanley continues to live apart from his mother.
Four years ago, Cassandra Begot fled an abusive relationship and arrived in Valence with her two older daughters and her six-month-old son, Stanley. Seeking refuge in emergency housing, she triggered an intervention that altered her family’s trajectory. Social workers operating the emergency facility filed a report directly with the public prosecutor. The consequence was immediate: authorities removed the children the very same day, placing Stanley into the foster care system where he has remained ever since.
Emergency Shelter Triggered Same-Day Removal
Rebuilding Stability in Vienne
Today, Begot lives in Vienne, located in the Nord Isère region of France. Over the past four years, she has systematically restructured her life. She secured stable housing and achieved a significant legal milestone in February by successfully regaining custody of her two eldest daughters. Her household also includes an 18-month-old daughter—born after the initial emergency placements—who has never been placed in state care.
Yet the family remains fractured. Now five years old, Stanley continues to live apart from his mother. At her home, Begot has prepared a dedicated bedroom for the boy, complete with posters of footballer Kylian Mbappé hung above the bed. Despite these preparations, she has been unable to celebrate his birthdays by his side.
Challenging the Legal Grounds
Legal defense for the mother is being led by Maître Franz Achache, an attorney who also represents the association l’Enfance au cœur. Achache has forcefully characterized the ongoing separation as an abusive placement, arguing that the statutory grounds for danger outlined under article 375 of the French Civil Code do not apply here.
“Moi j’estime que les motifs de danger au sens de l’article 375 du code civil ne sont nullement constitués et que donc le placement repose sur des inquiétudes non démontrées et infondées sur la parentalité de madame Begot. A ce titre il s’agit d’un placement abusif,” Achache stated.
Restricted Visits and Psychiatric Evaluations
The defense argues that the successful return of the two older daughters, combined with the unhindered upbringing of her youngest child, proves that keeping Stanley in foster care is entirely unjustified. Begot herself has questioned the strict limitations placed on her access, noting she is restricted to just two supervised visits per month. She maintains that this schedule makes it impossible to rebuild a genuine daily bond with her son.
To demonstrate her fitness as a parent, Begot actively participates in a psychological care program and has submitted favorable psychiatric evaluations to the authorities.