The image above was shot in November 2014 by Heather Whitten, as her husband cradled her ill son in a cold shower. The child was suffering from salmonella poisoning and had a high fever. The image was shared widely, and inspired a wave of support for Whitten and her intimate style of photography.
Although the photo was controversially removed by Facebook admins twice after it was posted, it still gathered more than 134,000 likes and was shared more than 31,000 times.
However, a small number of complaints led to the couple being investigated for neglect. Investigators from the Arizona DCS (Department of Child Safety) pursued Whitten, who in response set up a GoFundMe page to fight the case.
"The only claim [DCS were] able to suggest be substantiated against me [and me alone] was that I neglected to supervise our children by allowing their images to be online and so put them at an unreasonable risk of harm," says Whitten on her campaign page. "This goes against Arizona’s very definition of neglect and encroaches on my right as an artist to share my work with the public. "
Should Whitten be found guilty, she will be added to Arizona’s Central Registry for 25 years, impacting her ability to work with children or adults throughout the US, and possibly ending her career as a birth photographer.
A Change. org petition has been set up to urge the courts to dimiss the charges against her, but it seems that prosecutors are keen to press ahead with the case.
An administrative hearing is being held on February 3, 2017 to discuss the next in the legal process.
. digitalrev.com2017-1-27 03:00
