A mum from Texas was “flabbergasted” when a neighbour reported her to Child Protective Services (CPS) for allowing her six-year-old son play outside in an area within view of the house.
Kari Ann Roy, was inside the house when she got a knock on the door from her neighbour, with her son in tow. Kari wrote in her blog about her confusion when the neighbour informed her that she had “brought him home”.
“She motioned to a park bench about 150 yards from my house. A bench that is visible from my front porch. A bench where he had been playing with my 8-year-old daughter, and where he decided to stay and play when she brought our dog home from the walk they'd gone on.”
Kari thanked her and had chalked it up the incident as just a “well-meaning but over-vigilant neighbour” when there was another knock on the door. This time, it was a police officer.
The mum-of-three was questioned by the officer, and several days later got a visit from a CPS Investigator who interrogated her and her children, questioning them about whether their parents abused drugs or alcohol and showed the kids pornography.
While Kari says she understands that CPS needs to investigate reports, she has been humiliated in her neighbourhood and children are traumatised. Her youngest son has cried thinking the police will come to the house if he doesn’t go to bed on time.
“My kids reported that she asked questions about drugs and alcohol, about pornography, about how often they bathe, about fighting in the home.”
“And again, I understand the need for these questions. I understand CPS investigators have an incredibly difficult job. But the conflict I feel is immense.”
“My children were playing outside, within sight of the house, and now my 6yo and 8yo and 12yo have seen their mother spoken to -- multiple times -- as if she, herself, was a child being reprimanded.”
“They have all been questioned, by a stranger, about whether they've ever been shown movies of other people's private parts. And no matter what I say, I can tell that they think they've done something wrong.”
