Do I have a case?
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 8:10 am
CPS investigated my family on 2 previous occasions regarding alleged sexual abuse regarding my husband and daughter. I have 2 letters from them stating that they did an investigation and found that allegations to be "unsubstantiated. Seeing as CPS is trained to recognize signs of child abuse (after all isn't that the sole purpose of the agency?), I took comfort in the fact that there must not be any abuse occuring. Well in October my daughter confesses to her prinicipal that she had been being molested for the past 5 years. This resulted in her being placed in foster care and my husband killing himself. CPS took my daughter because I did not have a 'safe place' to take her. But at this point they already knew my husband had committed suicide (I was not informed yet), and that I could have taken my daughter home (because the threat was removed). Instead they stated that they were taking her because I had a "mental condition that may endanger" the safety of my kid. They are basing this on the fact that I would obviously become mentally distraught after not only learning my kid was being molested but by the fact my husband killed himself. Which is ironic because they waited until after I voluntarily allowed them to take her, because I did not have anywhere safe to take her. As soon as the CPS worker walked out, the detectives walked in and told me he was dead. So I immediately demanded that CPS return my child, at that point they informed me that I was being charged with 'failure to protect.' Then the same form I had regarding the temporary custody notice (the one that stated my mental condition effected my ability to parent) turns up in court. But they changed the reason to state that i "allowed the child to participate in sexual activities with others". The form had the same time, same date, same author but only the reason for removal was changed. They are obviously unaware that I have the original document. They knowingly lied to the court. What can I do?