New member and story

[yankeegirl78]

First off thank you for the add to the site!
I have an 8yr old son and 15 month old daughter my story begins in mid Aug. My husband, kid, and I moved into my mother in law's house to help her out she has COPD and awaiting her disability. She met a man on a dating site and had him come here after 4 days she decided that it wasn't going to work so she told him to leave. In mid September they started talking again and after 2 days she again said it wouldn't work. On October 30 2014 this ( Bob ) texts my husband asking him to hook him back with his mom this went on for the 30th until Nov 3rd. The man just wouldn't accept no on Nov 3rd he came to the house let himself in I got him out the door and locked it. I then called 911 it took the police an hour to get here while waiting he was banging on doors windows and screaming. Once here the police made him leave and told him if he comes back he'll go to jail tresspassing he is not to phone or text anyone inside the home. 20 mins later he sends a text to my husband calling him a bi**h and saying he'll get even. The next day I receive a call from someone claiming to be a court clerk telling me Bob was suing me and to expect papers let just say I have yet to get them. On Nov 5 a DSS worker came out and told me that they received a report that I don't feed my kids, give them medical care, I beat them, the house is full of animal waste, the roof is caving in, and that I stay up all night smoking pot and popping pills. I was offended and I said let me guess Bob made this report. She tells she doesn't know who reported it. So I allow her in the home at the time just my daughter was home. She looks in every room, the cupboards, and fridge. Asks me who the kids doctors are, dentist, what schools has my son attended, and how I punish them. I answered all her questions she hands me this paper telling me to sign it and submit to a drug test. I told I am not signing anything nor am I submitting a drug test. She gives me a booklet explaining the process of investigating and informs me under South Carolina law she has 45 day to decide i the allegations against me are true and leaves. I don't hear a thing from DSS until 12/15/14 when she shows up again telling me she is there to do her monthly visit. I said what monthly visit you had 45 days and that is up. Next thing I know she blocks our car with hers and gets on her phone 20 mins later 2 officers show up. When they asked me what was going I explained when the officers asked why she was here and called them she told them I was interfering with her investigation. The officer asked her how she said I would let her in to take pictures and take a drug test. She tells them she spoke to my son's school. their doctor and no red flags. That she did a national search to see if I was ever accused or investigated for child abuse or neglect and she found nothing. I told her in front of the officers to get a warrant or court order to make me take a drug test. I allowed her and the officers into my home one officer stayed with me while the other walked around with her. She took pictures of our kitty box and a storage room. The officers both told me they didn't see anything wrong or why they were here. The investigator then told me that if it's indicated I would receive a letter and or a phone call from another worker. On 1/21/15 I get a voice mail from a worker telling me I have to make an appointment for her to come to the house and meet the kids and I. At this point I called an attorney and he told me the law states 45 days from the day the report is made unless they get an extension of 15 days by the state director. I should have received a letter if they got this extension and by law they are to serve me with papers that state the allegations, their findings, and their intervention plan which I never received. He told me to call that worker and tell her that per the law 45 days has past 60 days if they got the extension therefore she has no right to come to my home. On 1/22/15 the worker called me I told her what the attorney said she told me to make the appointment and she'd bring the reports that I was suppose to get via certified mail I refuse. She then tells me that the investigator said she seen animal waste in every room and the house smell therefore I abuse the children, and that a family court case has been filed that she needs to see the home and my kids by the end of the month. I told her I am calling the attorney and if I have to I will call her. I called the attorney and told everything she said he informed me that she has no right and can't come take my kids. He then said if there was animal waste in every room then the officers would've put the kids into protective custody. I then called family court and was told there is no case filed or pending on me. I then find via my son's school that they never talked to a DSS worker regarding my son. I have no idea what they are pulling I don't trust them. Now this is effecting my son since he was home the second time. Since this happened his grades are slipping, he isn't sleeping, and his additude has changed. He visited shortly with the school counslior and I have to go through mental health so she can help him. I am not sleeping I panic every time I hear a car and I am so stressed. I don't know what to expect and I can't ask the court for an attorney because there is no case file.

[LindaJM]

I'm glad you're reading your state regulations and talking to an attorney! You might also want to tell all of this to your county commissioner (whoever is in charge of your section of the county) . . . they would be interested in knowing if a social worker is setting the county up for a harassment lawsuit, and they might be able to tell the county dept. of social services to quit harassing you! I'm not sure I'd mention the word, "lawsuit," but they would understand that you've lawyered up and are tired of being harassed. This should not be happening.

Bob should be sued... if you can get a lawyer to help you with that. Check to see if your state's law allows lawsuits for false reporting . . . or some states even allow people like that to be arrested. That would be up to the DA, I guess, but your attorney would be able to advise you on what's best to do. Check your state's mandated reporter law to see what the penalties are for filing false child welfare reports. I hope you can prove he did it. (That's often hard to do, but a judge could order the reporter's identity to be revealed.)

[Justice74]

It's all very good advise. If I could go back I would video and audio record every interaction. Secretly if the Sate Law allows. Remember it's your house therefore your rules, besides being agents of the Sate they should expect no privacy.

Record also phone calls. Somehow people tend to behave better if they suspect they are being recorded or if you can record in secret even better. That would become a powerful tool to use against them.