Tag: Criminal Charges
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Does “Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child” Still Apply in Michigan? Understanding When Discipline Becomes Child Abuse
Disciplining Children Under Michigan Law: What Parents Need to Know In today’s legal landscape, physically disciplining a child can lead to serious consequences like criminal charges, CPS investigations, and even loss of parental rights. Michigan law allows parents to use reasonable physical discipline, but the line between discipline and abuse is razor-thin. What one parent…
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Anticipatory Neglect in Michigan CPS Cases – When a Parent’s Past Impacts Future Rights
Michigan courts use the doctrine of anticipatory neglect to evaluate how a parent’s past conduct with one child may impact that parent’s rights to another child. It allows courts to look at a parent’s treatment of one child as evidence of how they may treat siblings, or even future children. What Is Anticipatory Neglect? If…
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Neglectful Parent v. Incorrigible Child: What the decision in In Re D. V. Lange tells us
When a child’s mental health needs escalate, parents may face choosing between household safety and neglect allegations. Michigan courts are often asked to decide where that line is drawn—particularly when a parent has exhausted treatment options but still cannot safely bring a child home. The case discussed below addresses this exact dilemma and clarifies how…
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What Happens After Someone Reports Child Abuse to The Authorities? (Pt 2)
Hello there and welcome back. We’ve been discussing what happens after someone calls the authorities and reports suspected child abuse or neglect, and what takes place after the report has been made. As we mentioned in the previous article, regardless of who you report to, in the end the cops are told. And if CPS…
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The Cops Think I Hurt my Child! What Happens Now?
There are many reasons why the cops would show up at someone’s house and make the assumption a child is at risk of abuse or neglect. Perhaps the neighbors overheard an argument and called them. Or maybe a teacher saw a bruise on your child’s arm and made an assumption. It could even have been…
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Tragic Death of 1-Year-Old Will NOT Result in Charges!
A few months ago in February, there was a tragedy in Montcalm County, Michigan. A 1-year-old girl wandered out into her family’s backyard, where rain and melting snow had created puddles and patches of standing water. As KidsHealth points out, a young child can drown in as little as 2 inches of water, so it…
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How the Nassar Case Will Change Michigan’s Child Abuse Reporting Laws (Part 1)
The ripples of the Larry Nassar case can be felt in every corner of the state. New legislation is being introduced, people’s motives are being questioned, jobs are being lost, rules and regulations are changing. The upheaval is enormous. And one of the areas (one of many) that has come under fire since this case…
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Missing Port Huron Boy Found, Father Arrested
39-year-old Douglas Edwin Ball Jr., a resident of Port Huron, MI, is facing very serious charges for the alleged kidnapping of his young son and the possible murder of his son’s mother. Authorities say that there are still many details that they have to work out, and the case is still under investigation, but the…
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Toddler Found Alone In Hot Car Has Been Hospitalised
A toddler was found alone in a hot car in a WalMart parking lot recently, and according to the deputies who stepped in to rescue her, was hospitalized as a result. The incident took place in Alpine Township in Kent County at about 6:20 pm. The Kent County Sheriff’s Department was contacted regarding a…
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CPS Called For Children in Suspected DUI Accident
Children’s Protective Services was contacted by the Flint Police Department regarding a recent car accident involving two young children. It is worth noting that officers who respond to crash scenes do not usually report the incident to CPS unless there are children involved along with other factors where the child is suspected of being at…