Police filed shaky report with child services

[PayrollHRGuy]

She is adamant that this was not her.

Children that sleepwalk may not know it. Children that sneak out of the house in the middle of the night lie.

 

[Ohiogal]

Eyewitness accounts are notoriously unreliable. There is enough evidence of that so ignore anyone who argues otherwise as they are ignorant of reality. Furthermore, what harm have you suffered? You have been told not to let either the police or CSB without a warrant or court order. LISTEN TO THAT.

 

[stealth2]

realized at that time that he knew the people who lived at the home, and that the child he had dropped off was not their daughter.

Which... she's not. What did your daughter say when asked about the alleged incident?

 

[mamashakesit]

That is a pretty damn good ID. I would strongly suggest you start worrying more about your child wandering the streets at night straddling bridges and getting in cars with strangers than you are about getting these actions reported to police and child services.

Well, I guess that's where my doubt is strongest. My kid is extremely wary of people she doesn't know, and I have an extremely difficult time believing that she would get into a vehicle with a stranger. I also have a hard time believing a guy driving home at 3 a.m. who doesn't call 911 for a child on the bridge isn't wasted. If he can't identify the home of a friend where apparently drops a kid off (and doesn't go to the door or watch for her to get safely inside), how does he ID her 3 days later with a mask-wearing photo?

 

[quincy]

I should also clarify that the home where he apparently dropped the child off at is neither my home nor my parents.

My daughter is 10.

I DEFINITELY question whether this was my child. She is adamant that this was not her.

My PARENTS were up early. My FATHER got up before 3 a.m. for work; he left the house at 3:15 a.m. My MOTHER was up around the time he left until about 4:30 a.m.

My DAUGHTER was awake at 7:30 a.m. and didn't appear tired or cranky or dirty, according to her grandmother.

The report that was made was simply that it was believed your daughter sleep-walked in the early morning hours to a bridge, where a concerned driver found her and dropped her off outside some random person’s house?

This seems very very strange.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Well, I guess that's where my doubt is strongest. My kid is extremely wary of people she doesn't know, and I have an extremely difficult time believing that she would get into a vehicle with a stranger. I also have a hard time believing a guy driving home at 3 a.m. who doesn't call 911 for a child on the bridge isn't wasted. If he can't identify the home of a friend where apparently drops a kid off (and doesn't go to the door or watch for her to get safely inside), how does he ID her 3 days later with a mask-wearing photo?

While there is some chance it isn't your child ALL of the evidence says it is. And if your child is doing this in some altered state, like sleepwalking which she has a history of, she likely wouldn't remember and may act as she normally wouldn't.

I stand by my original statement. You have something more to worry about here than you record with CP or the PD. DO you know what can happen to a 10-year-old girl in the middle of the night?

 

[mamashakesit]

Eyewitness accounts are notoriously unreliable. There is enough evidence of that so ignore anyone who argues otherwise as they are ignorant of reality. Furthermore, what harm have you suffered? You have been told not to let either the police or CSB without a warrant or court order. LISTEN TO THAT.

I wouldn't say I've suffered any harm, other than crazy-ass stress and distraction. I just don't like the idea that the police can make these reports based on zero investigation. The investigator himself admitted that he had also wondered whether drinking played a role in the fact that the witness did not call 911.

The report that was made was simply that it was believed your daughter sleep-walked in the early morning hours to a bridge, where a concerned driver found her and dropped her off outside some random person’s house?

This seems very very strange.

Agreed. Yes, that was the report. An investigator's personal friend happened to drive by and pick her up, then dropped off at a house that was mine and it was not my parents' home.

I should also mention that the police apparently DID NOT give the same report to child services.

Child services informed me about the incident in an in-person meeting nearly a week after it happened. The caseworker was the first person I'd spoken to about it. She told me that someone found my daughter on the bridge and drove her HOME. I called the sheriff's office as soon as I got out to the parking lot. That's where the rest of the details were filled in by the investigator.

 

[mamashakesit]

While there is some chance it isn't your child ALL of the evidence says it is. And if your child is doing this in some altered state, like sleepwalking which she has a history of, she likely wouldn't remember and may act as she normally wouldn't.

I stand by my original statement. You have something more to worry about here than you record with CP or the PD. DO you know what can happen to a 10-year-old girl in the middle of the night?

Of course I know...that's why I'm spending so much time trying to sort this out. That's I'm wondering why AN ADULT MALE PICKS UP A YOUNG GIRL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITHOUT CALLING 911 AND DROPS HER OFF AT RANDOM HOUSE WITHOUT MAKING SURE SHE'S SAFELY INSIDE OR SPEAKING TO THE ADULTS IN THE HOME. AND WAITS ANOTHER 2 DAYS TO REPORT IT.

 

[quincy]

One of my cousins is a sleepwalker. There are usually (not always) indications of sleepwalking that make the parents or the sleepwalker aware of it before it ever gets to the point of the sleepwalker leaving the house and wandering around town.

I don’t doubt that police or child protective services would get involved if a child was reported to be roaming a town at night alone and, presumably, in pajamas.

That said, the story is a difficult one to believe as told. Contact an attorney prior to additional contact with the police or CPS. If no crime was committed, the concern should strictly be with the welfare of the child.

 

[Ohiogal]

Of course I know...that's why I'm spending so much time trying to sort this out. That's I'm wondering why AN ADULT MALE PICKS UP A YOUNG GIRL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITHOUT CALLING 911 AND DROPS HER OFF AT RANDOM HOUSE WITHOUT MAKING SURE SHE'S SAFELY INSIDE OR SPEAKING TO THE ADULTS IN THE HOME. AND WAITS ANOTHER 2 DAYS TO REPORT IT.

IGNORE PRG... he has no clue. I do these type of cases. Eyewitness accounts matter not. If the child was dropped off at a particular address and went inside, then they should start with that house. However, I don't think that picture "lineup" would satisfy any type of challenge. Mandated reporters are NOT supposed to do an investigation however prior to reporting.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Of course I know...that's why I'm spending so much time trying to sort this out. That's I'm wondering why AN ADULT MALE PICKS UP A YOUNG GIRL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITHOUT CALLING 911 AND DROPS HER OFF AT RANDOM HOUSE WITHOUT MAKING SURE SHE'S SAFELY INSIDE OR SPEAKING TO THE ADULTS IN THE HOME. AND WAITS ANOTHER 2 DAYS TO REPORT IT.

No, your question here was, "Is there anything that can be done to get this report removed from the record?" That isn't dealing with the problem that all the evidence shows your child has a major problem. You even took the offer from CS to get you door alarms as an evil plan for them to get a look at your home.

If you don't have some sort of alarms on the doors before your child goes to bed tonight you are a negligent parent.

 

[stealth2]

dropped off at a house that was mine and it was not my parents' home.

Huh?

ETA: I'm not sure I'm quite ready to say it's negligent to not have alarms on the doors, but it's certainly unwise. Especially at any house she stays regularly. Better safe than sorry!

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

IGNORE PRG... he has no clue. I do these type of cases. Eyewitness accounts matter not. If the child was dropped off at a particular address and went inside, then they should start with that house. However, I don't think that picture "lineup" would satisfy any type of challenge. Mandated reporters are NOT supposed to do an investigation however prior to reporting.

From a legal standpoint, you are right. But from a parenting standpoint, you aren't.

 

[Just Blue]

Well, I guess that's where my doubt is strongest. My kid is extremely wary of people she doesn't know, and I have an extremely difficult time believing that she would get into a vehicle with a stranger. I also have a hard time believing a guy driving home at 3 a.m. who doesn't call 911 for a child on the bridge isn't wasted. If he can't identify the home of a friend where apparently drops a kid off (and doesn't go to the door or watch for her to get safely inside), how does he ID her 3 days later with a mask-wearing photo?

Did you ask the officer if s/he went to the home where the child was dropped off ? Is there a child that lives at that address?

You really should consult with/hire an attorney that specializes in CPS cases.

 

[Just Blue]

https://www.mnbar.org/

Call the bar association and ask for several referrals for attorneys that deal with CPS cases and then consult with all of them. Hire the best one that you can afford. The attorney will put an end to this quickly.

And put alarms on door/windows so your sleepwalking child doesn't do another walk-about.