"The problem here seems to be the lack of individual attention to the circumstances leading up to the children having to be taken into care. "

That is probably true, but have you ever visited a hospital in NYC? How can you provide individual attention to all the cases? You mention that the children should have been allowed to visit their mother. Probably true (although it was only 24 hours or there abouts) but providing transportation services could pose problems.

I'm not disagreeing with anything you say in your last post Jacqui, but dealing with the reality of not only the system but the number of people requiring such services is staggering.

You made a very good point - this affects not only these two girls but any child going through the system.   Someone earlier made a comment that they were treated like the children of a crack mother. Isn't there something to be said that there are few stories about such children and when a couple of tourists have to face their reality, everyone is repulsed. Where is the anger and outrage at the system for those who face it every day of their lives?   

Again, we still do not have all the facts and we are only reacting on preconceived notions - notions that are fed by a media that as Ms. Lemon pointed out is only interested in making money, or paid for by the government as is the case with the BBC.