When someone claims that a child has been abused, chances are, your first thought isn’t “Well, that might not be true!” Most people, when they hear about child abuse or neglect, assume that where there’s smoke, there must be a fire. It’s a mindset that’s very widespread in our culture, and yet it’s proving to be a somewhat unstable foundation for our beliefs. Especially when it comes to child abuse allegations. Why? Because sometimes smoke doesn’t come from fires.
Have you ever heard of ‘blowing smoke‘? The term refers to someone intentionally misinforming or deceiving someone else. And that’s exactly what false allegations are – lies meant to make someone innocent look bad. But why would someone do that? Why would someone lie to CPS or the cops about somebody else, especially about something as serious as child abuse? It’s a legitimate question, and one that deserves an answer. So here goes:
People make false allegations to get revenge
Ever had someone do something to do that hurt so much, or left you feeling so impotently angry, that you entertained fantasies of revenge? Many people have, but there’s a big difference between wishing you could get back at someone for something awful they did to you, and actually finding a conniving way to hurt them.
People use false allegations of child abuse as a way to get revenge against former lovers who jilted them, bosses who fired them unjustly, and friends who betrayed them in particularly painful ways. There are many reasons why someone would justify the act of lying about someone else in such a completely horrendous way, but the truth is – nothing justifies this. Child abuse allegations are life changing, and can destroy someone’s reputation for good.
People make false allegations to influence custody agreements
This one is very sad (not that all examples of false allegations aren’t sad) But to think that two people who used to love each other could be so angry, and so bitter, that one of them is willing to falsely accuse the other of the unthinkable. However, that’s what happens. In order to force the court’s hand, and ensure that the other parent doesn’t get anything more than supervised visitation, one parent claims that the other is a risk to their children.
These types of allegations usually take the form of sexual abuse, as it’s much harder to prove than physical abuse (which often requires some kind of evidence on the child’s body.) Also, most parents willing to resort to telling lies to get custody are often working to alienate the other parent as a form of punishment, or trying to gain sole custody in an effort to get a larger child support payment. It’s devastating, and incredibly difficult to fight.
This is why you need a good attorney on your side!
Join us next time for a few more examples of who would make a false allegation, and why. Until then, if you’ve been falsely accused of abusing or neglecting a child, you’re going to need help from experts who’ve handled this type of case before. Someone who understands how hard these types of allegations are to fight, but has developed a track record of success in this area. And that’s where we come in.
Here at The Kronzek Firm, our experienced child abuse and neglect defense attorneys have spent decades helping the people of Michigan fight lies and smear campaigns. And we’re very good at it. So if you’ve been lied about to CPS or the cops, call 866 766 5245 immediately, and get help from our skilled and experienced defense attorneys. We’re available 24/7 to help you through this.