The Durham Children’s Aid Society has taken away Lisa Roberts’ 15-month-old son after receiving an anonymous call about her living in a Whitby park with her child.

Roberts, who is nearly eight months pregnant, was located by Durham Region police officers on behalf of DCAS on Tuesday afternoon at a bus station in Ajax. She was with her son on her way to pick up a cheque from her social worker, she says.

“I’m a good mother. I’ve been taking care of him. He’s healthy, happy and loved,” a frantic Roberts told the Star on Tuesday. “If I lose my son I will die.”

A court hearing has been set up for later this week. She says she has been told that she will not be able to see her son until then.

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Children’s Aid cannot comment on any cases it deals with, said spokesperson Andrea Maenza.

A child will only be taken away from a homeless parent if there’s “an immediate risk of safety,” Caroline Newton, spokesperson for the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies, told the Star.

Newton says efforts are always made to get in touch with other family members who may be able to help temporarily take care of the child, or to place the parent and child in a proper shelter.

Roberts says she was not given any options that would allow her to remain with her son, such as staying at a shelter.

Roberts, 38, became homeless in May after she had to move out of her apartment, which her landlord needed back. After running out of money to pay for a motel and briefly staying with a friend, she began sleeping in parks with her son.

Roberts is currently on welfare and is working with her social worker to find an affordable, permanent place to live. She has chosen not to stay in shelters.

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After her story in the Star appeared, Roberts received an outpouring of offers of help.

She has declined offers of temporary places to stay because she says she does not want to be a burden on other families. Some of the places are too far away from the father of her two children. Roberts is no longer with him, but he has been providing some financial support.

However, for the next few nights, Roberts says a generous woman is covering the cost of a motel for her. “She is an angel,” she says.

Roberts says she is grateful for the offers of help she has received but adds that she is “not looking for handouts. I’m looking for a hand up.”

She is hoping that a book of prose, poetry and artwork she has created based on her life experiences will be published and provide her enough income to take care of her children.

But for now all she can think about is reuniting with her son.

“I’ve looked after that boy since he was born. He saved my life.”