Vegan Mother Accused of Child Neglect Regains Custody of her baby after 5 months

Sarah Markham, 24, of Seminole County, Florida, lost custody of her child five months ago after a doctor directed her to a hospital because her infant son was malnourished and she didn’t immediately show up.

While talking to press she said she was “ecstatic” to have her son back.

“I’m just so excited ecstatic and about getting him back this whole thing was a nightmare,” Markham told. “I can go back to being a new mom and bonding with him. I am just very happy.”

She regained custody of her 5-month-old son after she and her lawyer settled her case with the Florida Department of Children and Families on Wednesday. Markham will have to meet with a state-approved pediatrician to keep custody of her child, according to her lawyer.

Markham was arrested on June 24 after a doctor examined the infant and ordered her to go directly to a hospital, according to a public information officer at the Casselberry Police Department.

When Markham did not show up at the hospital, her doctor called police, officials said. Markham was arrested at her apartment and charged with child neglect without bodily harm, police added. She was accused of refusing to give her infant non-vegan formula even though he was dehydrated.

Markham’s lawyer, Mark O’Mara, said her doctor directed her to the hospital after she said she did not want to use an animal-based formula to supplement breast feeding because she was vegan and wanted to raise her son vegan. He said Markham immediately bought vegan formula and was feeding her child to supplement breast milk when she was arrested.

Markham has been fighting to regain custody of her child for five months. The criminal charges of child neglect are still pending, according to court records.