Legal Question in Family Law in Virginia
Possible harrassment of child by school staff
Approx 2 weeks ago my active 6 year old son ended up with a bruise on his cheek about the size of a pencil eraser. I asked him for 3+ days where he got it & he couldn't remember. Five days later, Child Protective Services is at my house saying a report has been filed because my son said his dad punched him, & that's where he got the bruise. My son informed me that 2 staff members asked him several times where he got the bruise until he said his dad did it (apparantly not happy with the fact that the child didn't know). We, the parents, have clarified any misunderstandings with CPS, who said they'd ''notify the school.'' That was a week ago. My son informed me that the 2 staff members questioned him (at separate times) earlier this week about a bruise on his eye (from horseplaying with his sister, or ball or something). He gave his answer & was asked ''are your sure?'' When he said yes, they gave him a questionable look. We feel the staff is harrassing our son & almost trying to put words in his mouth. I think he's now becoming afraid to play in fear he may get another bruise & be questioned. What is your take on this? And, thank you for taking the time to provide this service to the general public.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Possible harrassment of child by school staff
My "take" is that you now are under scrutiny by what appear to be overzealous(and undertrained CPS workers)who apparently have never learned the lessons of the late 1980's and early 90's when scores of innocent people were victimized by CPS type folks with the aid of like-minded child psychologists who were adept at planting suggestions of abuse in the malleable imaginations of young children from which they then drew incriminating accusations and allegations---accusations and allegations which were later used by sympathetic prosecutors as evidence to prosecute and convict numerous innocent adult caretakers of these children, some of whom are still in prison. Later it was proven that most of these allegations were demonstrably false and little more than childrens' flights of fancy which at least in some cases were driven by CPS investigators and their related ilk.(I invite you to check out the Little Rascals daycare case in Edenton, North Carolina, or the McMartin case out in Los Angeles.)
Needless to say, you would be well advised to keep careful documentation (including photos) of any bruises or other skin lesions which your son may pick up from whatever source for the foreseeable future. And I mean a running chronology day by day with detailed notes as to
the sources of any evidence of trauma which may turn up on your son's body.
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