Couple claim their sick five-month-old boy was taken away by police simply because they asked doctors for a second opinion

Anna and Alex Nikolayev had a bad experience at a Sacramento, California hospital so they took son Sammy to another area doctor
Though the first hospital was discussing heart surgery, the second OK'd the family to head home
That's where police showed up the next day and wrenched Sammy from Anna's arms

PUBLISHED: 15:38 EST, 29 April 2013 | UPDATED: 05:16 EST, 30 April 2013

The parents of a 5-month-old were shocked when police showed up to take away their infant boy after they told a doctor they wanted a second opinion.

Caught on camera, the footage shows police entering the California home of Anna and Alex Nikolayev and asking Anna to hand over the baby.

‘I’m going to grab your baby,’ one of the several officers at the scene told Nikolayev, ‘And don’t resist and don’t fight me.’

Surprise: Anna and Alex Nikolayev wanted a second opinion after doctors at a Sacramento hospital made them too nervous leave son Sammy in their care

Surprise: Anna and Alex Nikolayev wanted a second opinion after doctors at a Sacramento hospital made them too nervous to leave son Sammy (pictured) in their care

‘He grabbed my arm,’ the new mother told KXTV, ‘so I couldn't take Sammy. And they took Sammy, and they just walked away."

The saga began about two weeks ago when Sammy, who suffers from a heart murmur, began showing flu-like symptoms.

The Nikolayevs took him to Sutter Memorial Hospital in Sacramento, California, the hospital where Sammy had been receiving regular treatment for his heart condition.

According to Anna, the couple became alarmed after a nurse came in to give the baby antibiotics.

Uncomfortable: Anna Nikolayev says the hospital made mistakes and they just weren't comfortable when doctors started discussing heart surgery

Uncomfortable: Anna Nikolayev (left, with Alex) says the hospital made mistakes and they just weren't comfortable when doctors started discussing heart surgery

‘I asked her, “For what is that?” And she's like, “I don't know.”'

How, Anna wondered, was the woman working as a nurse but unaware of the purpose of a medication? Anna said a doctor would later tell her Sammy did not need antibiotics.

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While still at Sutter, Sammy was admitted to the pediatric ICU for observation. Within a few days, doctors began discussing the possibility of heart surgery for the baby.

Motivated by fear, Anna took Sammy from the hospital without a proper discharge and admitted him to another hospital, Kaiser Permanente.

Taken: Though they got OK'd from a different hospital to take Sammy home, police let themselves in the next day and took Sammy into protective services

Harsh: Anna, left, said CPS told her Sammy was taken due to the Nikolayev's 'severe neglect' and Alex, right, said he met police at the door and they threw him to the ground before entering the home and taking Sammy

‘I don't want to have my baby have surgery in the hospital where I don't feel safe,’ Anna explained.

Police then showed up at the second hospital.

‘They told us that Sutter was telling them so much bad stuff that they thought that this baby is dying on our arms,’ Anna said.

At Kaiser Permanente, the doctor indicated on the infant's records that he was clinically safe to go home with the Nikolayevs and that there was no concern for the Sammy’s safety in their care. They went home.

On April 24, the police arrived at their house. Alex said he greeted them and was pushed to the ground when he asked if he was being arrested. They then took Sammy away.

Extreme: Anna said the doctors at Sutter Memorial (pictured) in Sacramento, California had police convinced she and her husband were bad parents

Differing: While one hospital suggested surgery, another, Kaiser Permanente (pictured) OK'd Smmay to go home with his parents

Differing: While one hospital suggested surgery, another, Kaiser Permanente (pictured) OK'd Sammy to go home with his parents

According to Anna, a child protective services worker told her Sammy was taken away for ‘severe neglect’ but did not elaborate on the neglect.

KXTV reached out to Sutter Memorial and were told to contact child protective services. Reporters were told by CPS that they couldn't comment on individual cases.

CPS spokesperson Laura McCasland told the ABC affiliate, 'We conduct a risk assessment of the child's safety and rely heavily on the direction of health care providers.'

The Nikolayevs were allowed an hour of visitation with Sammy on Thursday.

An outraged Alex told KXTV. ‘It seems like parents have no right whatsoever.’

‘We did everything,’ a tearful Anna agreed. ‘We went from one hospital to another. We just wanted to be safe, that he is in good hands.’

A court date hearing was set for April 29.

Uncertain: Sammy remains in the care of authorities, with his fate to be determined April 29

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"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever." George Orwell

- GeorgeHilbert , New York, 01/5/2013 05:57

Click to rate Rating 4

Sutter saw an opportunity to make some money here. ESL speakers with an unwell baby : they're not supposed to question what doctors say. When they called out on it by another hospital's very different opinion, they pulled out the stops to discredit the parents. Money rules everything.

- Bo , San Jose CA, 01/5/2013 01:45

Click to rate Rating 16

Listen. When you are a parent, it changes your view on EVERYTHING. You have the right to pick your doctor! I sure as hell wouldn't want my kid to be treated at a hospital where the nurse doesn't even know what she's injecting my child with! I would be out of there and seeking treatment elsewhere in a flash. Your kid is the most precious thing in your life, and I'm sure these parents were scared and tentative about the kind of care their son would receive at the first place they went. It's not like they just took him home to die... they took him to another hospital to seek medical advice!

- Widdle , Los Angeles, United States, 01/5/2013 00:17

Click to rate Rating 29

- amcc81, Bath, 30/4/2013 8:54Child services don't just take kids from their parents, there is always a reason and that reason is in the article. They removed their very sick child from the hospital, potentially putting her life at risk. For the child's sake, they intervened............You skipped straight to the comments, didn't you? They removed their NOT sick child from one hospital and checked HIM right into another, without going home. When the police came to Hospital #2, they were told HE was being released as HE was fine to go home and didn't need to be in hospital. Then the police went to the home, roughed up the parents a bit, and took HIM away to a care home. Update is, a judge has seen that there was NO reason for this to occur and restored HIM and the power to make HIS medical decisions to HIS parents. Glad I could help out and read the story for you. You're welcome.

- Scarlet , Castle in the Air, United States, 30/4/2013 22:27

Click to rate Rating 49

The red arrow brigade are downvoting the logical comments. Logic being that you don't just take your kid with heart problems out of ICU.

- Ketsuban , UK, United Kingdom, 30/4/2013 22:10

Click to rate Rating 55

We live in a predatory health care environment that preys on all Americans. Lame-stream medicine is nothing more than a corporatocracy and each of us are their profit centers. I will never go to another hospital again. I¿d rather die than let them make one more penny. Profits before patient safety has replaced ¿first, do no harm¿. These parents are now aware of what every parent should be. Look for organizations that are fighing vulture capitalism. It is the only way we are going to take our country back. I hope the hospital is getting a lot of calls and a visit from the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. They also might try and get their health insurance company on board but they seem to want to remain silent.

- Marcie Jacobs , Denver, United States, 30/4/2013 22:06

Click to rate Rating 9

God, please take care of this sweet, little, tiny thing and make sure he's loved!!!!

- evenout , usa, United States, 30/4/2013 21:55

Click to rate Rating 12

I'd be talking to my lawyer about suing the hospital, the city, local law enforcement, and the first hospital. Ask for billion $.

- lafe , Beachside, United States, 30/4/2013 20:44

Click to rate Rating 81

There has to be more to this story than reported here.

- jb80538 , Loveland, 30/4/2013 20:24

Click to rate Rating 11

O yeah, no judge, no jury they just kidnap your baby. Parents have no rights anymore and the government can kidnap your child without due process.