Hello again, and thanks for joining us for the fourth installment in our important list of what to do (and what not to do) when CPS is investigating you. As we’ve said before, CPS workers take their job very seriously, which is a good thing. Child abuse is a real concern! But what about when they’re wrong? What happens when they falsely accuse someone and then refuse to see that they’ve made a mistake. This is where this list comes in.
So far we’ve discussed the importance of being polite, not letting them into your house without a court order or a warrant. We’ve also talked about how you should take the allegations very seriously, even if they’re wrong, and why you need an experienced CPS defense attorney on your side asap! But there are still a few key items you need to know about. So here goes…
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If you’ve been accused of abuse, get your child to a doctor asap!
If you discover that CPS is investigating you on suspicions of child abuse, it’s critical that you immediately begin to create a paper trail that can corroborate your innocence. So you need to take your child to a doctor that you trust as soon as possible (within days, if not hours) who can do a full examination of your child’s body. Have the doctor write a letter explaining that there are no bruises, cuts, burns, tender areas, health conditions, or anything else that could possibly indicate physical abuse or neglect.
If CPS recommends a doctor to you, or offers you a free physical assessment for your child, DO NOT TAKE IT! It may be appealing to save a few bucks by taking them up on their offer of a free physical, but know that the doctor they will choose is one who will corroborate their story. Doctors who work regularly with CPS are often called as expert witnesses at child abuse trials, to provide testimony AGAINST the parents, for which they receive a substantial sum of money!
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Insist that CPS record all interviews with your child
CPS is notorious for twisting things to serve their purposes. They have a long history of changing people’s words around to fit their narratives, and twisting the truth into something completely unrecognizable. So if a CPS worker is going to interview your child, insist that they record the entire interaction so that they can’t change the meaning of your child’s words later on and use them against you!
Sometimes a CPS worker will tell you that they can’t record the interview because they’ve misplaced their handheld recording device. This is rarely the case, and sounds far too convenient. So we recommend that you have one on hand to “loan” them if they don’t have one handy. Also, keep a copy of the interview recording, just in case the CPS worker “misplaces” their copy before the hearing.
Do you need help from an experienced CPS defense attorney in Michigan?
Surviving a CPS investigation is very hard, and requires endurance and grit. CPS workers have less supervision than police officers, and far more freedoms. They aren’t required to follow the same laws during their investigations as law enforcement, and they can add your name to the state child abuser list without ever having convicted you of a crime. But scary as it may sound, you aren’t alone!
If you or a loved one have been accused of neglecting or abusing a child, then defending and protecting yourself and your family needs to be your primary objective. Call The Kronzek Firm immediately at 866 766 5245 to discuss your case with an experienced CPS defense attorney who understands and can help. Join us again next time to wrap up our list with the last two important items! And remember, knowledge is power!