Parents Visit Overweight Child

Aug. 31 -- The parents of a 3-year-old girl who weighs 120 pounds have had their first visit with the child since authorities removed her from their home last week.

“She seemed very happy. It was nice. She was, of course, happy to see us and we were happy to see her,” mother Adela Martinez told ABCNEWS’ Good Morning America today. “We played together and had a nice time.”

Anamarie Martinez-Regino weighs 120 pounds and is 3 ½ feet tall — three times heavier and 50 percent taller than the average 3-year-old, according to the girl’s physician, Monika Mahal. The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department took Anamarie last week after Mahal recommended she be removed from her parents’ custody because of their seeming inability to control her weight.

Martinez could not confirm if her daughter had lost any weight yet, although she said authorities told her the girl had lost about four pounds.

During Wednesday’s visit, which lasted more than an hour, Martinez said she tried to explain to her daughter what was happening.

“She still is 3 years old, so you tell her, and she takes it in, but five minutes later she’s on to her next subject,” Martinez said.

Custody Hearing Set

A custody hearing has been set for Sept. 5. The family’s attorney says he hopes Anamarie will be returned back to her parents then, although that is not the usual course of action.

“Well, I’ve seen it happen. It is unusual at that early stage, but I’m optimistic that it can and might happen,” attorney Troy Prichard said on Good Morning America.

In reccommending that Anamarie be taken away from her parents, her doctor said the child’s condition was life-threatening.

According to court documents reviewed by The Associated Press, the parents put her “at grave risk” by repeatedly feeding her solid foods while she was on a doctor-ordered liquid diet, a social worker said in court documents.