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Home / World

Teen couple who fled hospital with their baby vow to fight

Daily Mail
17 Apr, 2017 12:48 AM5 mins to read

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The teen couple who fled hospital with their baby have vowed to fight for her. Source: 7 News

The teenage couple who fled hospital with their three-day-old baby have vowed to fight for the little girl and revealed they haven't seen her since she went back to hospital.

Jayden Lavender, 14, and his girlfriend Jenifer Morrison, 15, cried as they faced the media the day after taking their daughter from Sydney's Nepean hospital over fears social services would take her.

The young mother told 7 News she hasn't seen her baby girl Aria since she was returned to hospital and hasn't even been allowed to supply breast milk for her.

Jayden and Ms Lavender confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they hadn't been able to see Aria since she'd returned home. Photo / Channel 7
Jayden and Ms Lavender confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they hadn't been able to see Aria since she'd returned home. Photo / Channel 7

"I don't know what I have done wrong me and Jayden will be awesome for her," she said.

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The young parents hid their newborn daughter under a blanket and left the hospital under the cover of darkness at 12.15am on Thursday.

The trio spent the night camping in a tent purchased from Kmart, before finally returning to the Dharruk home where they live with Jayden's mother Tracy Lavender.

Jayden and Ms Lavender confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they hadn't been able to see Aria since she'd returned home.

The young couple have posted numerous pictures together on social media (pictured). They were picked up in Willmot at 4pm on Thursday after 16 hours on the run.
The young couple have posted numerous pictures together on social media (pictured). They were picked up in Willmot at 4pm on Thursday after 16 hours on the run.

"She's back in the hospital and they haven't let us visit," Ms Lavender said.

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"She is going to be there for me and I will be there for her I will fight for her," Ms Morrison said.

The teenagers have been reportedly told they are 'too young to decide' what happens to the child.

Mr Lavender, 14, described the little girl as his 'pride and joy' after falling in love with her at first sight.

The Lavender family home where the baby was to live with her parents was fire-bombed after news the children had taken their baby from hospital.

Tracy Lavender - Aria's paternal grandmother revealed the attack which happened on Thursday night left the family "terrified.

"You can see the burning from the firebombing last night," she told Daily Mail Australia.
'Yeah, someone did it while we were sleeping.'

The pair said the newborn was OK despite having spent the night in the elements.
Friends of the young parents say the pair fled hospital because they feared authorities may take their daughter.

"Jayden's dad would always tell them DOCS was coming for the baby," one told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.

"They've got everything they need for the baby... it's got its own room and bed.

"But they just got scared from hearing s*** like that and because they haven't got a stable home."

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The house the couple live in with the newborn's grandmother and two other children is a rundown, single storey home.

A trail of burnt grass through the front yard leads to a heavily scorched and boarded-up front door.

Neighbours in the area told Daily Mail Australia that police were regularly called to attend disturbances at the home.

"At night time there's always yelling and screaming, and "f*** this and f*** that"," one local said.

The young couple spent 16 hours on the run with their daughter before they were found safe about 12km away from the hospital in Willmot on Thursday afternoon.

The baby was taken back to hospital and the teens were interviewed by police. No charges have been laid.

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Ms Lavender said her son knew it was wrong to leave hospital without being discharged.

"I knew there was nowhere he could turn," she told AAP.

It was Father's Day when Jayden, aged just 13 at the time, learned Jenifer was pregnant.

He proposed to her weeks later and they began planning a wedding - with the blessing of Ms Lavender.

The young couple are engaged but unable to legally get married.

"Jayden would not walk away from her," Ms Lavender said on Thursday. "He's been by her side since she told him she was pregnant."

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Outside hospital on Thursday she said: "The baby's healthy - seven-and-a-half pounds, I knew that my son would look after his baby and his girlfriend."

"At the end of the day it's breaking both of their hearts, they've never done nothing wrong.

"They don't want to be apart from their baby, they're good parents."

The first Ms Lavender heard of the drama was when a police officer knocked on her door early on Thursday morning.

She assumed the worst because her nephew died the day Aria was born.

"It devastated me,' she said. 'I was in such disarray, I didn't know what to do."

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Detectives told her to stay at home in case her son returned.

"I stayed there as long as I could, and then I couldn't bear it anymore," she said.

Ms Lavender found Jayden in Willmot and said paramedics checked over Aria, who was healthy.

"They were crying, she (Jenifer) said she just wanted to be with Aria on Easter."

Police had said the teens may have been travelling with an unknown man, but Ms Lavender said that person was merely a stranger in the hospital who helped Jayden with his bags after seeing him in tears.

"That tells me he knew that it wasn't the right thing to do," she said.

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"But he had to do what was right for his baby and his girlfriend."

The teens were interviewed by police on Thursday evening while baby Aria was assessed back in hospital.

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