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Child Abuse - False Accusations

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Cal-Raven

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Have 2 children (ages 8 & 10) that live with us half the time, and the Father & Girlfriend half the time. The girlfriend has only been in the picture for 6 months or so. Things have been civil and decent until recently when the girlfriend got more involved.

She doesn't work, and we used to pay her to watch the kids after school until we got home from work because it was much cheaper than child care. We discontinued that and now it looks like she is trying to retaliate by trying to gain custody of the kids.

The children sometimes get a random bruise (as children do) from school and play - but nothing resembling abuse. The kids don't remember where they got the bruise, but the Father & girlfriend tell them they are lying and that the Mother did it.

Yesterday, we found out that they were pulled out of school recently by the Father & girlfriend to go talk to some counselor. They were asked many things, including if they were abused in any way. The kids were truthful and answered no, and that made the girlfriend upset - accusing them of lying to the counselor.

When we got home from work tonight, we found a business card of a Social Worker on our front door. She is from the Child Welfare Emergency Response division. We tried calling her number, but got her voice-mail and left a message.

There is absolutely no abuse going on, and we have nothing to hide. The kids live better here than they do there, and always talk about how boring it is at the Father's.

This is obviously a play to gain custody of the kids, and they have no grounds for that so they are making things up.

Are there any repercussions for making a false claim to Child Support Services? How can we fight this false accusation?
 


Isis1

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Have 2 children (ages 8 & 10) that live with us half the time, and the Father & Girlfriend half the time. The girlfriend has only been in the picture for 6 months or so. Things have been civil and decent until recently when the girlfriend got more involved.

She doesn't work, and we used to pay her to watch the kids after school until we got home from work because it was much cheaper than child care. We discontinued that and now it looks like she is trying to retaliate by trying to gain custody of the kids.

The children sometimes get a random bruise (as children do) from school and play - but nothing resembling abuse. The kids don't remember where they got the bruise, but the Father & girlfriend tell them they are lying and that the Mother did it.

Yesterday, we found out that they were pulled out of school recently by the Father & girlfriend to go talk to some counselor. They were asked many things, including if they were abused in any way. The kids were truthful and answered no, and that made the girlfriend upset - accusing them of lying to the counselor.

When we got home from work tonight, we found a business card of a Social Worker on our front door. She is from the Child Welfare Emergency Response division. We tried calling her number, but got her voice-mail and left a message.

There is absolutely no abuse going on, and we have nothing to hide. The kids live better here than they do there, and always talk about how boring it is at the Father's.

This is obviously a play to gain custody of the kids, and they have no grounds for that so they are making things up.

Are there any repercussions for making a false claim to Child Support Services? How can we fight this false accusation?
honestly, it has to be proven that the G/f is doing this on purpose. and numerous times. the ex used to do this all the time. it stopped bothering me. all he did was solidify he was a moron.

in these cases, social services is not to blame, they are required by law to follow through.
 

CJane

Senior Member
It is my understanding that CA decriminalized false reporting some time ago.

Deal with it and move on.
 

Cal-Raven

Junior Member
honestly, it has to be proven that the G/f is doing this on purpose. and numerous times. the ex used to do this all the time. it stopped bothering me. all he did was solidify he was a moron.

in these cases, social services is not to blame, they are required by law to follow through.
I agree that they should follow up on any reported case, and we are happy to comply - but this is a total waste of everyone's time and taxpayer's money. They need to be spending time on real cases.

We are going to document this, but at what point will a judge take it into consideration that this is retaliation and harassment?
 

Proserpina

Senior Member
I agree that they should follow up on any reported case, and we are happy to comply - but this is a total waste of everyone's time and taxpayer's money. They need to be spending time on real cases.

We are going to document this, but at what point will a judge take it into consideration that this is retaliation and harassment?


Does it occur to you that they might actually have a GENUINE belief that there is something amiss?
 

CJane

Senior Member
Does it occur to you that they might actually have a GENUINE belief that there is something amiss?
This is a good point. Just because a case is unfounded, doesn't mean it was a false-report.

And your case is NOT 'unfounded' yet. Though I question how 'they're way more bored at Dad's house' factors into a CPS call/defense. Kinda weird.
 

Cal-Raven

Junior Member
This is a good point. Just because a case is unfounded, doesn't mean it was a false-report.

And your case is NOT 'unfounded' yet. Though I question how 'they're way more bored at Dad's house' factors into a CPS call/defense. Kinda weird.
The point I was trying to convey is the kids seem happier to be with us than them. As I said earlier, there is absolutely no abuse going on here and we have nothing to hide.

Sorry, this a traumatic situation for us and we are taking it seriously. Maybe for you its easy to "Deal with it and move on" as you posted, but even the accusation is appalling and hurtful to us.
 

Isis1

Senior Member
The point I was trying to convey is the kids seem happier to be with us than them. As I said earlier, there is absolutely no abuse going on here and we have nothing to hide.

Sorry, this a traumatic situation for us and we are taking it seriously. Maybe for you its easy to "Deal with it and move on" as you posted, but even the accusation is appalling and hurtful to us.
yes, i know. but the more you know, the less it hurts. my husband was all emotional and angry when he was accused of abusing my kids. but really...reality is, i can't control stupid. i learned to to use stupid against the other party. i reported it to the court everytime a CPS call and visit was done. guess who came out looking dumb? it wasn't me!
 

TheGeekess

Keeper of the Kraken
The point I was trying to convey is the kids seem happier to be with us than them. As I said earlier, there is absolutely no abuse going on here and we have nothing to hide.

Sorry, this a traumatic situation for us and we are taking it seriously. Maybe for you its easy to "Deal with it and move on" as you posted, but even the accusation is appalling and hurtful to us.
Your feelings matters naught to a court. :cool:
 

CJane

Senior Member
The point I was trying to convey is the kids seem happier to be with us than them. As I said earlier, there is absolutely no abuse going on here and we have nothing to hide.

Sorry, this a traumatic situation for us and we are taking it seriously. Maybe for you its easy to "Deal with it and move on" as you posted, but even the accusation is appalling and hurtful to us.
I understand that it's appalling and hurtful. Really. The first few times my ex and his lovely wife made accusations against me, it was appalling and hurtful. And then it was irritating and maddening.

You can't control THEM. You CAN control your response. Focus on that.

From the first time CPS showed up at my house in response to one of the ex's calls, they knew it was bogus. They gave me all of the info I needed to report it as harassment (because in MY state, it IS criminal to make false allegations).

But when *I called CPS after the step-mom put her hands on my daughter? They took it seriously because I hadn't made a fool of myself.

Deep breath. Move on.
 

Isis1

Senior Member
The point I was trying to convey is the kids seem happier to be with us than them. As I said earlier, there is absolutely no abuse going on here and we have nothing to hide.

Sorry, this a traumatic situation for us and we are taking it seriously. Maybe for you its easy to "Deal with it and move on" as you posted, but even the accusation is appalling and hurtful to us.
and just because this part wasn't addressed...don't do that. please. don't. you don't get to say where the kids are happiest. you aren't there. you only knwo what the kids chose to tell you. and either you don't apy attention to your children, or you haven't been a parent for very long, but children are NOTORIOUS for telling a parent only the pieces they want them to know.
 

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