I have a grandson (six years old) with mild developmental disabilities. Today he went to school with a red mark on his face. Right now the police and a CPS worker are in my daughter's house. Apparently, at school, the kid said that his mother hit him. He is saying that right now to the police and the CPS worker. No doubt they have it videotaped. The CPS gal is claiming the mark is a hand print.

My daughter claims she never struck him. He is a rambunctious little guy so there is no telling how he got a mark on his face or any other marks/bruises on him. I doubt very much that my daughter hit the kid. To my frustration, she has been very lax when it has come to ANY discipline of her children.

I spoke with the officer. What a joke. He became frustrated by the simple, direct, questions I was peppering him with ("Do you or the CPS worker have experience in dealing with children with developmental disabilities?).

Anyways, I don't know how this is going to end up...tonight or in the future. Being in California it is difficult to help my daughter out from long distance. I spoke with my personal lawyer who advised me that after tonight she should probably have a lawyer sit in on any further discussions with the police or CPS.

I'm in Cali. She is up in the Logan area. My daughter and her husband don't know any lawyers. Can anybody recommend some legal counsel to contact from around there? Even in SLC if needed? Uggghhhh...I just celebrated paying off a $100,000 lawyer bill and am not looking forward to this. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Getting a lawyer is a super smart idea. Dealing with CPS on your own is STUPID.

So...I don't have many details but apparently the police and CPS made their reports and left the grandkid in the house. I guess from here the reports will re reviewed by "higher ups" and some sort of decision made (doing nothing, counseling, classes, etc.).

My guess is that the police/CPS were called in by the teacher or some other school authority. I told my daughter that now she will have a target on her...that if the kid has ANY bruise on him they will be raising an eyebrow towards her. I encouraged her to yank the kid out of school, put him somewhere else, private school, or home school. I told her that I wouldn't be able to have confidence or trust in someone who had turned me in to CPS.

I also told her that in future police/CPS interviews or meetings she should have legal counsel with her, or let the interview go on until she feels a need to bring in a lawyer. Then shut the interview down at that point and say that she will only continue with a lawyer present. We'll see.

Professional school personnel (teachers, principals, counselors, social workers, etc.) are mandated reporters. If they don't report suspected abuse to CPS, they could lose their licenses and their jobs. That goes for private school teachers as well. Some teachers report more heavily than others. Usually if teachers see a suspicious mark on a kid, they will ask the kid about it and the kid's response will drive the teacher's action. Oh, and I've also known neighbors to report to CPS.

summer's right. Most anyone who works with children and even people who develop film are mandated reporters of child abuse. They have to report abuse whenever they see it or risk getting into serious trouble.

That doesn't mean it's not scary or threatening when CPS visits, though, nor is it wrong to take precautions. I don't blame you for worrying. I would, too.

Its normal to panic when cps becomes involved...being somewhat familiar with the system...at least here...imsure yours is different in some ways...dont jump the gun...be cooperative...help all you can...you arent HIDING anything...or if you are perhaps it needs dealt with...most workers are not nutjob crusaders...most are overworked underpaid people who care...the welfare of the child is all that matters...most workers will also go right to the wall to help and support parents if there are problems...unless your charged with anything...sure consult with a lawyer...but dont panic...its been proven hundreds of times that a loving but troubled family is still the best place for a child unless there are factors detrimental to the child...the adversarial role might come into play...but dont make it come into play...cps workers are definitely aware parents arent perfect...we all screw up being parents...be honest...if you screwed up then own it...if you didnt ...its unlikely you will be crucified...but there are always exceptions...heres hoping for a good cheap outcome for your daughter...lawyers can be useful but only uf charges are pursued or children taken into care...at that point lawyers will be appointed for the childs best interest at no cost to you...at least here...ive heard the states system is perhaps different...keep in mind...taking children into care is expensive to the system...it isnt done on a whim orbecause a worker had a bad day....by all means be cooperative...theyre just decent folks mostly...trying to do the right thing for the child

Times they are a changing...most of us would have been in care today...ive had welts on my ass half inch high many times...often not sure what id done to deserve it..just ol dad pissed about stuff again...if you have netflix take an hour and watch one called BUCK...note his parents....note the foster mom that finished raising him...where was Buck better off?...my upbringing was somewhat similar...cept we were kicked out into weather that was -20...it was probly only ten minutes but it instilled the absolute terror intended to maintain iron fisted order...oh yeah and that really normal looking smiley family down the street...its just for show and church

CPS is not your friend. Keep them out of your life. Hire an attorney.

Don't mess w/ the CPS. As someone said above, many of them are nutjob crusaders. My relative of mine was accused of slapping his 16-year old daughter. He had actual evidence of how she was slapped. Turns out it was a spat w/ her boyfriend. It didn't matter. The CPS worker withheld evidence, lied in her reports, fabricated his statements, and did everything in her power to screw him over. Let me give you a tip, which was crucial in my brothers case - AUDIO TAPE EVERY CONVERSATION - phone and in person. Then, see if their reports mirror what was said. If I were her, I would home school him this year. One additional mark (e.g. a small knew bruise from falling off his skateboard) can snowball this into orbit of criminal charges. I would pull him out of school for now if I were you. School officials can be nut jobs too. Tell your daughter to be extremely careful until this CPS case is closed. Fight this with everything she has - even is she has to borrow the money. Any kid, especially a disabled kid, can be goated into saying things the questioner wants him to say.