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CPS Harrassment Over Cleanliness of Household

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  • 11-08-2013, 10:59 AM
    edasher1
    CPS Harrassment Over Cleanliness of Household
    My question involves child abuse or neglect in the State of: Texas

    My husband had a friend come live with us about 3 weeks ago. Last week, while my husband, myself, and our 3 kids were out of the house, The friends 3 year old son opened the front door and was out playing in the road. His father had to go to the police station and CPS was involved. They came to our house, talked to my husband, took pictures of my 2 and 4 year old, and spoke with my 6 year old. She said we needed to make it so the boy couldn't open the door and get out anymore. So, we put a latch at the top of the door (while she was here at our home.) Then Wed. another lady came over and stated that she was here just to make sure that we had fixed the problem. She came in, took pictures of the new latch on the door, then complained because the kitchen floor was not swept, there were dirty dishes in the sink, the carpet was not vacuumed, our outlets do not have the plastic safety covers, and that the friends room had a pile of clothes on the floor.
    Then today (Friday) she comes back to check to make sure that all of that is fixed. Today she complained because there was still a pile of clothes in the floor and said "Well, it looks like y'all vacuumed somewhat." (My house is not a pig sty, we have 4 children living here 6 and under.) She proceeded to say that she would be back at the beginning of next week to check again to see if those issues were corrected.
    I am not feeling like this has gone beyond the concern for the child's safety and now she is just trying to nit pick at anything she can find. I know I do not legally have to let them in the house unless they have a judge sign off saying so. Since, we have done what they ask, they have evidence of it, and they are still repeatedly coming back over an un-vacuumed floor and such, would it be a bad idea to tell her not to come back until a judge says I have to let her in?
  • 11-08-2013, 11:20 AM
    Dogmatique
    Re: CPS Harrassment
    You do not have to answer the door or speak to CPS without a warrant or order expressly telling you to do so.

    With that said, not cooperating can be viewed in an extremely negative fashion - it's almost damned if you do, damned if you don't.

    If it were me? I'd probably go along with their requirements just to get them off my back.

    - - - Updated - - -

    (And seriously - if you have 4 children under the age of 6 living with you I'd be MORE worried if there wasn't at least some mess and clutter!)
  • 11-08-2013, 11:22 AM
    aardvarc
    Re: CPS Harrassment
    If you want to force them to get the courts involved and put your home on the radar for increasingly more frequent visits, sure. Because that's what will realistically result - you'll get much MORE attention than you're getting now. Or, you can tell the father whose child started all of this business to either get off HIS duff and get the home up to what CPS wants for HIS child, or to take his child and go live elsewhere. You know how they say "no good deed goes unpunished"? That's what's happening to you - your husband's friend opened this can of worms by not properly supervising his child, but now CPS has a duty to watch out for ALL the children within the household. Yes, they're going to be nit picky. YOU get to be nit picky with your houseguest too. Put your foot down and tell him you and your children aren't going to continue to be inconvenienced and investigated due to HIS action/inaction.
  • 11-08-2013, 12:44 PM
    adjusterjack
    Re: CPS Harrassment Over Cleanliness of Household
    Houseguests and fish stink after 3 days.

    Time for your husband's friend to move on.
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