Child Care, Privacy Violations, Lost Time with Child

[Tryin2BFair]

Im not sure this is the forum to post this in but as it came up during custody hearings Im asking here. I reside in Cleveland, Ohio.

Last year I sent my son to my ex husband in Washington State for his scheduled winter visitation. During this visit my ex husband got a protection order against me citing child abuse, neglect and abandonment. I was able to get my son back with the help of the county staff psycholologist and Washington State gave up jurisdiction to Ohio. The sitter who was caring for my son at the time helped my ex in his case against me.

I began to realize that my son (then 9) was not being escorted to the house. I was finding animal feces and urine on the floor. My son admitted that he had been going to the house alone, he would get distracted and then be late for school. This was happening almost daily.

I found out that the sitter had taken a video of my house, videotaping the feces and other areas of my home. She sent this video to my exhusband. I had bought some new furniture that had to be put together and as my residence is small, I was putting it together as I was moving around the old. I also work alot of hours and spent the time off with my son doing things away from the house.

Between her and my ex husband they had convinced my son that I did not love him because I wasnt buying him new clothes and toys. They told him that I was committing child abuse against him because I had spanked him for fighting in school. They told him that I was mean and cruel for making him do chores and for grounding him from television when he acted irresponsibly.

My son was put under so much stress by his father and the sitter to provide more evidence against me that he developed gastritis and was prescribed Tagamet on a daily basis. Now that he has been back home with me he rarely has stomach pain and when he does its nothing that a Tums cant take care of.

Do I have any recourse against this sitter? Does Ohio have Right To Privacy laws?

[Edited by Tryin2BFair on 12-15-2000 at 08:52 AM]

 

[LegalBeagle]

You might want to chop this down as it is way to long.. yes, some may read it.. some may attempt to help.. but many will skip it..

 

[Tryin2BFair]

Editing

Thank you, will do.

 

[Tryin2BFair]

Okay, I hope I editted it correctly. Im just so very upset that this woman could manipulate my son and ex husband (willingly) like she did, I lose 8 months with my son and thousands of dollars. I cant even begin to list here the emotional and mental anguish my son went thru.

 

[LadyBlu]

Im not sure this is the forum to post this in but as it came up during custody hearings Im asking here. I reside in Cleveland, Ohio.

Last year I sent my son to my ex husband in Washington State for his scheduled winter visitation. During this visit my ex husband got a protection order against me citing child abuse, neglect and abandonment. I was able to get my son back with the help of the county staff psycholologist and Washington State gave up jurisdiction to Ohio. The sitter who was caring for my son at the time helped my ex in his case against me.

I began to realize that my son (then 9) was not being escorted to the house. I was finding animal feces and urine on the floor. My son admitted that he had been going to the house alone, he would get distracted and then be late for school. This was happening almost daily.

I found out that the sitter had taken a video of my house, videotaping the feces and other areas of my home. She sent this video to my exhusband. I had bought some new furniture that had to be put together and as my residence is small, I was putting it together as I was moving around the old. I also work alot of hours and spent the time off with my son doing things away from the house.

Between her and my ex husband they had convinced my son that I did not love him because I wasnt buying him new clothes and toys. They told him that I was committing child abuse against him because I had spanked him for fighting in school. They told him that I was mean and cruel for making him do chores and for grounding him from television when he acted irresponsibly.

My son was put under so much stress by his father and the sitter to provide more evidence against me that he developed gastritis and was prescribed Tagamet on a daily basis. Now that he has been back home with me he rarely has stomach pain and when he does its nothing that a Tums cant take care of.

Do I have any recourse against this sitter? Does Ohio have Right To Privacy laws?

[Edited by Tryin2BFair on 12-15-2000 at 08:52 AM]

Unfortunately, the laws in most states protect people that make Child Abuse/neglect reports as a Good Samaratin type law.

Unless you can prove that her actions were with malicious intent or completely false. Even then it is only considered a misdemeanor in most states. These laws are written this way to protect people that are trying to truly help in situations that children may be at risk. Unfortunately there are people in this world that abuse the process for retaliatory measures but it is hard to prove. I suggest that you just try to get over this, I know it is hard.. I have been there.. but believe me, it does get better and one way of making it easier to swallow is to start educating yourself with the laws in the states you are dealing with. Knowing your rights is the best weapon (defense) any person can have in their hands.

 

[LadyBlu]

Another suggestion

If the babysitter is registered with the State Registry for Daycare providers you can always file a complaint against her and it would be placed in her file and when others call for referrals that complaint is made public. So you can alert other parents to potential problems from this woman.

 

[Tryin2BFair]

Thank you for replying. She never made a report with the county. She just took it upon herself to call my ex and help him get my son, i.e. calling him, sending the video, etc. Im assuming she did it this way because of my ties with the domestic violence dept downtown. Had she been that much of a "good" samaritan I thought she wouldve reported me and if she had the whole mess wouldve been taken care of in a few days/weeks rather than 8 months my son was gone. She also is not a lisenced child care facility of any kind, just a neighbor who was supposed to care for my son while I was at work.