Jenny Mollen, Jason Biggs, and How Race and Class Shape the Aftermath of Childhood Accidents

Abstract

(Excerpt) On April 17, actress Jenny Mollen and her husband Jason Biggs revealed on Instagram that she had dropped her 5-year-old son the weekend prior, fracturing his skull and leading to a stay in the ICU. Ms. Mollen thanked the doctors who treated him and reported that her son was home recovering after a “traumatic week.” She closed by saying, “My heart goes out to all parents who have or will ever find themselves in this kind of position. You are not alone.” But the truth is, far too many parents do end up alone, with their children snatched from their arms, after accidents as common as Ms. Mollen’s. The difference for these parents: they are poor, they are people of color, and they do not have the benefit of the doubt from child services