Child Abuse Legal Answers

Can I have an interpreter for a child abuse interview?

My younger son’s doctor reported me for child abuse, apparently because my son told him I was touching him in the wrong way. This is completely not true, but the workers from the child abuse office showed up at my house and wanted to interview me. I speak Arabic as my first language and while I can mostly understand English, I did not get a lot of what they were talking about. I feel they were pressuring me to talk to them. Can I make them give me an Arabic interpreter so I know fully what they are saying about me, or maybe should I consider getting an Arabic lawyer to be with me during the interview, even though I’ve done nothing wrong?

Los Angeles, CA

Mar 15, 2021

How to prevent a child abuser from getting child visitation?

3 years ago, my daughter’s father was found guilty of sexually abusing her. He served time in jail and is now out and has become very involved with a church in San Diego where he lives. He says God has forgiven him and he wants to work on a relationship with my daughter again. He thinks she can forgive him too. He says he is going to file in court for visitation with her and wants to be able to take her to his church with him. I’m opposed to this and don’t believe at all that he has changed. How can I stop him from getting time with my daughter and from further abuse? Do I need to file some sort of counter lawsuit to permanently ban him from seeing her?

San Diego, CA

Mar 15, 2021

Am I required to cooperate in a child abuse investigation?

I work for the UAE in Washington, D.C. and maintain a high level security clearance. One of my son’s friends in school told my son and a teacher that his father was molesting him. Child protective services has opened an investigation and now they want to interview me because my son’s friend has often stayed overnight at our house. I don’t have any information that would be useful as the child has not disclosed anything unusual to me. I don’t want to be part of any investigation that could jeopardize my position with the UAE. I also don’t want to get in trouble for not cooperating in an investigation. Can I have a lawyer relay my position to child protective services on my behalf to keep me out of this?

Washington, DC

Mar 15, 2021

Does my son have to testify in court in a child abuse case?

A year ago my son’s father was investigated by the North Carolina Child Protective Services for physical abuse of my son, who is now 9 years old. The father denied the abuse but the police believed my son’s version of the events and have charged my ex with criminal child abuse. The prosecutor for Wake County says my son may have to testify about what happened. My son is terrified of his father and does not want to have to be in a courtroom with him and tell what happened. Can the prosecutor’s office force my son to testify about the child abuse in front of his father? What if my son simply refuses to say anything or is just too scared to answer the questions, will the criminal case be dropped?

Raleigh, NC

Mar 15, 2021

Why am I charged with child endangerment when my son wasn’t hurt?

I’m an immigrant and not yet in this country legally. I live alone with my 5 year old son and work under the table at a nearby restaurant. I was called into work unexpectedly and had no one to watch my son, so I took him to my neighbor’s house just for a few hours. I know my neighbor deals drugs but he’s always been good to my son and I’ve never seen anything dangerous happen at his house. While I was at work, the house was raided by the cops. The police are now saying I could be charged with Nevada child endangerment, even though I never laid a hand on my son and even though he wasn’t hurt in any way. They say I could face years in jail and deportation if these charges go through. What do I do to fight this? What would happen to my son if I was deported?

Las Vegas, NV

Mar 15, 2021

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