The mother of a toddler taken from Valley Baptist Medical Center is pleading with the child's father to bring him home.
The toddler's mother says even though the father has equal rights to care for the child, she does not believe he is in proper condition to take care of their son.
Maribel Martinez took her one-year-old son to visit his father at Valley Baptist Medical Center on Tuesday night.
The father has a history of heart trouble, and was in the hospital for a mild heart attack.
Martinez said, however, the couple had a rocky relationship, and the father proceeded to leave the hospital with their one-year-old son.
Martinez says the father has not returned her phone calls, and she wants her son to come home.
"This is just so hard for me,” said Martinez. “I'm a first time mom, I didn't ever expect this to happen. I just hope my son is okay, I miss him. I wish he was here with me and my family."
We spoke with the baby's father.
He says he has every right to take his son as he pleases.
A report was made with Harlingen police about this incident.
However, they say that since the couple has joint custody of the child, there is nothing more they can do.
It is now a matter of the couple working this situation out together.
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