Judge Removes Obese Foster Dad's Kids

B U F F A L O, N.Y., Dec. 11 -- Brian Jones had hoped to adopt the three brothers he has raised as foster children for the past six years, but a judge ruled that he is too overweight to care for them properly.

Jones, 38, gained about 300 pounds over the past two years, and now tips the scales at 600 pounds. A year ago, state Social Services workers in Buffalo, N.Y. told him that his inability to get around endangered his boys, three brothers, ages 9, 10 and 16.

On Monday, Family Court Judge Marjorie Mix on Monday ordered the children removed based on a caseworker's report that Jones supervises them from his bedroom, and that the oldest children must do chores like cooking and shopping. He was granted visitation rights with the boys, who social workers say are affectionate toward him, and wanted to remain in his home

Jones is devastated at the idea of spending Christmas without the boys and feels he is being discriminated against because of his weight.

"??????," Jones told Good Morning America.

Size Kept Dad From Court

Because of his size, he was unable to attend a court hearing last week. Taxis and wheelchair services cannot accommodate him, and though he asked furniture stores to drive him in a delivery truck, they declined.

The caseworker said that Jones recently lost his foster-parent certification and that there were cockroaches in the home. But Jones said that he lost the certification because his weight prevented him from going to mandatory continuing education classes, and he skipped the required health exams for fear his weight gain would be discovered.

Jones has been working with a personal trainer since September, and said he would even undergo stomach-reduction surgery to get the boys back. He hopes to have them home in time for the new school year in the fall.

The three brothers have lived with him since being taken away from their mother, a drug addict.