'You can have the kids once this subsides': Heartbroken doctor reveals her soon-to-be ex-husband refused to let her see their children because she would expose them to coronavirus

An urgent care doctor and mother-of-two was prevented from seeing her children for 19 days after her soon-to-be ex husband deemed her a coronavirus threat and refused her access.

Dr. Sangeetha Setty arrived at her ex-husband's house to pick up her children, six and eight, after a long shift at a Florida clinic on April 3, only to be told that he would not be letting her see the children. 

The children's father Dr. Karthikeyan Sai sent a series of messages to his ex-wife claiming he feared her work as a physician would spread the virus to them - despite also 'working in hospitals' himself, reports Nbc News.

He wrote: 'Stay calm and go back, and let's keep the kids safe. You can have them once this subsides.' 

Dr. Sangeetha Setty arrived at her ex-husband's house to pick up her children, six and eight, after a long shift at a Florida clinic on April 3, but was refused access to the children

Dr Sai also accused Dr Setty of having let the children play in the neighborhood the last time she had custody of them, endangering their health. 

After 45 minutes of waiting outside the house the mother rang the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, who were unable to help despite the former couple's joint custody agreement.

Dr Sai told officers he feared 'the children will get the virus' if they spend time with their mother.

The distressed mother explained that the children's father also occasionally worked in hospitals and that her clinic wasn't treating Covid-19 patients, only screening those suspected and sending them elsewhere.

With no legal power to remove the children Dr Setty was advised to take the matter to court and drove home alone crying.

She told Nbc News: 'I was heartbroken. It's difficult to explain the pain that you feel as a mother when you're cut off from your children and you cannot even explain to them why it's happening.'

Dr Sai also accused Dr Setty (pictured) of having let the children play in the neighbourhood the last time she had custody of them, endangering their health

She called a lawyer to file a motion but was told there was no guarantee of a hearing being scheduled soon due to most Florida courts closing during the coronavirus lockdown.

Dr Sai's lawyer, James Cunha, proposed the ex-couple devise alternative meeting arrangements to 'minimize exposure' of the children to the virus, stating that Dr Sai also feared for his elderly parent's health who lived with him and believed that his ex-wife would use the children to spread the virus to them.  

During this time the mother only spoke to her children twice via video chat and telephone. 

After a week Judge Dina Keever-Agrama scheduled a hearing to happen via video chat on April 14.

Dr Sai argued that the mother had been disregarding social distancing rules, but did not argue his previous issue with her working at a hospital. 

The judge scolded the parents for not following their joint custody court order and ruled that coronavirus was not enough reason to break the joint custody agreement.

That evening Dr Setty was emotionally reunited with her children, who enjoyed their favourite Indian meal cooked by their mother.

Pediatric cases of coronavirus becoming severe are extremely rare, however the judge said that the pandemic had left them all in 'uncharted waters' regarding what was in the best interests of children. 

Family lawyer Rebekah Frye, from San Jose, California, said: 'This is the first time we've ever had to go through something like this.'

Ms Fye handled a similar case earlier this month that saw Dawn Polich, a respiratory therapist, fight to keep custody of her-year-old daughter, after her ex-husband claimed the mother's work but their child in danger.

A judge ruled that the mother would still be allowed to share custody of her child as normal.  

However in early April another mother and emergency room physician Dr. Theresa Greene, from Miami, was told by Judge Bernard Shapiro that her custody agreement with her ex-husband was suspended, and that she would not be able to see her four-year-old daughter due to the coronavirus outbreak and the risk her work posed.

A stay was issued on this order in late April, allowing the mother to see her daughter.