Competency Exam Denied in 2014 Saginaw Child Abuse and Murder Case In a 2014 Saginaw County case, a man accused of child abuse and murder was denied a mental competency evaluation, despite his attorney’s claims that he may not have understood the charges or been capable of assisting in his defense. The defendant, Aki…
Accused of Child Abuse in Your Profession? Your Job—and Your Future—Are on the Line Being accused of child abuse or neglect is one of the most stressful and traumatic events a person can experience. These allegations often come with CPS investigations, police interrogations, home visits, and even child removals. But for professionals who work with…
The fallout from the Larry Nassar scandal has been one of the most devastating and far-reaching in modern American sports history. From the sheer number of victims to the staggering impact on institutions like Michigan State University, the case has prompted sweeping legal, cultural, and systemic changes. Now, yet another chapter has been added. Former…
Poverty Is Not Neglect: When CPS Misidentifies Struggling Parents as Abusers Imagine a teacher notices a student wearing a coat that’s too small in the middle of winter, or a doctor observes that a child at a well-child checkup appears undernourished. Often, these professionals do what they’ve been trained to do—they call the CPS…
Did Child Abuse Reports Really Drop During the Pandemic? The Numbers Might Be Misleading. Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, news outlets across the country reported a dramatic decline in the number of child abuse and neglect reports made to Child Protective Services (CPS) hotlines. But does that mean fewer children are being…
New Michigan Law Demands Greater Transparency From the Office of Children’s Ombudsman In a move to improve oversight of Michigan’s child welfare system, recently enacted legislation now requires the Office of Children’s Ombudsman (OCO) to release redacted reports following investigations into allegations of child abuse or neglect. These reforms aim to bring long-overdue transparency and…
Nationwide Reforms Protect Young Athletes in Wake of Nassar Case — But False Allegations Are on the Rise January 2021 marked the beginning of a major shift in how the United States addresses athlete safety, accountability, and institutional abuse—sparked by the staggering revelations of sexual misconduct committed by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. His…
August 2022 marked a notable update to Michigan’s Child Protection Law with the addition of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and athletic trainers to the list of professionals designated as mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse and neglect. This change reflects Michigan’s ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable children by expanding the categories of professionals required to…
When parents hear the term Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI)—commonly known as brittle bone disease—they’re often struck by the severity of the name. And rightly so. OI is a rare genetic disorder that affects the body’s ability to produce strong bones, making individuals more prone to fractures and other complications. While OI affects approximately 1 in 10,000…
Welcome back and thanks for joining us again for this discussion on when promoting being independent in your kids can lead to accusations of neglect. It’s a fine line, and one that we know is very hard to navigate, especially in this time when the state seems to be overly involved in every aspect of…