Deseret News | Reader comments: Bogus child abuse claims targeted by legislators

Reader comments
Bogus child abuse claims targeted by legislators

DCFS attitude | 1:13 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

DCFS attitude obviously has no concern for those falsely accused. Makes me sick thinking how the administrative law system that the DCFS works under bypasses the Bill of Rights. And the DCFS still wants more power. I am glad Utah has criminal law against falsely accussing child abuse. Many states don't.

sue h | 1:45 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

Are there no other problems in our state, is this one really one to take your time with? Maybe our elected officials need a refresher couse on current events or at least important ones like warehousing the children instead of placing them with family. This is one I will not forget and I won't let them forge it either. Quit trying to bring other concerns in front of this .....this one is top priorty or it should be. Those of us who remember the words"in the best interest of the child" are not going to forget this and the statement of the dcfs head, that there were millions of dollars at stake here. We are watching very closely and waiting to see what you do. This is the year of accountability, We the people want accountability in all of dcfs. For the children we better see it.

abe | 1:59 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

There has to be a middle ground here. The public wants to keep kids safe but, divorces and so called therapists can be so damaging to the tune of several years away from your kids and 35 grand for lawyers to get them back. That's what happened to me in a false claim by my ex wife and having a "expert" (ha ha) to back her up. I now have custody of the kids with no reprecussions to her when the state KNEW that her stories were all lies. The should be a law, if there was, my ex wife be in jail. DCFS was apathetic towards me at the end becuase they they had egg on their face. I feel for anybody who is falsely accused. It does change your life and make you angry at the system for not playing both sides fair.

Comments continue below

Bob G | 5:24 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

The laws about the powers of the DCFS need change as well. They should be required to use the legal system as any law enforcment organization is required. The DCFS should not have the power to act on acusations or unsubstantiated claims of abuse. An accused but not convicted or proven guilty person does not belong on an abuse list. How about an abuse list of accusors as well when false accusations are proven. The DCFS needs an overhaul in their complete organization and more limits on their actions. They often times remove children from parents and put them in homes of abuse they have sanctioned. When the DCFS does this then those doing it should also be incarcerated and jailed. The DCFS is far from reason and the ability to make judgement of any child abuse situation. The public and children would be better served if the DCFS was abolished as they abuse their powers and abilities.

L.F. | 9:09 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

You should be concerned with this. My husband was falsely accused with child abuse during a divorce years ago. It took over 2 years and a lot of money to just get the divorce. What did he come out with? His name drug through the mud, the humiliation of being drug through the court system (remember you are guilty until proven innocent) oh and lets not forget that he lost the life he knew and was happy with and got to exchange it for depression and thoughts of suicide. Years later he still struggles; but with the help of his friends and family and some loving neighbors, he has redicated his life to Christ and is finally moving forward. By the way, our children are fine and I have never seen any signs of abuse. He treats his family well.

Don | 9:18 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

Of course DCFS does not want the law changed,there is too much money, and power at stake.Always remember, that if the sign on the door say's
" WITCH HUNTERS ",it must be, that there are
witches. And when you run out of witches to
hunt,then you are out of a job. :-)

BC | 9:44 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

I, too, am the victim of a false allegation. It is a horrible, horrible experience, and too many so-called "experts" make light of this serious problem. Even though every person consulted agreed that the allegations were unsubstantiated, I was treated like a criminal nevertheless, "just in case" I was actually guilty. When I complained about the process, I was told "just get over it." I won't be "over it" until my name is cleared. Apparently, DCFS would rather consider me guilty.

Instead of "innocent until proven guilty," the current system is "you might be guilty, even though there is no proof that you are." It is impossible to prove innocence, and it is even more difficult to challenge the accusations.

There should be some sort of consequences when a person makes (and continues to make) false allegations.

11944 innocent criminals... | 10:22 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

20,340 cases 8,396 substantiated. So the other 11,994 just get the shaft. The claim that harm to reputaition and life of an unjustly accused person is the biggest lie in this article.
While 5 years seems long for the removal of a name, pehaps it should be 5 years from the time of the most recent accusation. That would capture those serial cases that strech over years/decades and allow those unjustly accused a clean record.
The names of the false accuers also need to kept and documented as such. It's not just custodial parents that make these claims - caseworkers, therapists, foster children "working the system", etc. also make claims and it would help investigators to know that the claim comes from a questionable source.

ABB | 11:02 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

It made me sick at heart to read that, "Agency administrators say the possible damage to someone's reputation who is falsely accused and on the list is almost nil." That statement demonstrates that one of two truths are extant. Either there is an incredible depth of naivetï¿½ on the part of DCFS Administration regarding the level of damage done to those who are wrongly accused; or there is an disdainful indifference and callousness toward those who are falsely accused. It has been my experience that Utah's state-wide policy is to "Shoot first and ask questions later." Cloaked in the banner and chanting the mantra "Protect the Child," collateral damage is normal, expected and acceptable. Betournay states that "...DCFS is obviously against people using the system to get the upper hand in a child-custody battle..." Sadly, while this may be the intention in principle, it is often not the case in reality. Innocent people and their families continue daily to pay the price exacted by over-zealous and tunnel-visioned DCFS and law enforcement "investigations" that begin with the premise that "someone is guilty of something." I pray with all my heart that Mr. Betournay is sincere and will take appropriate corrective action.

Interesting juxtaposition | 12:20 p.m. Nov. 13, 2007

Today's DesNews also features a story about a 13 year-old girl who made false allegations of an attempted abduction.

Perhaps we need to rethink the conventional wisdom that women and children NEVER lie about such things.

Kia | 1:21 p.m. Nov. 13, 2007

So...... Today DFCS doesn't want to remove the false reports from the system, but tomorrow when a REAL abuse case 'slips through the cracks', they'll whiiiiiiiine about how they're soooooooo overloaded with cases that they just can't devote the needed attention to any of them.

HERE'S A TIP, GUYS! Dump the false reports and maybe you'll have the resources to do your REAL jobs!!!

Or is that too logical for DFCS???

Steve H | 1:30 p.m. Nov. 13, 2007

Any bets on how many false accusers have been prosecuted? If prosecutions are any more than ZERO, I would be shocked!

The whole domestic violence industry needs to be overhauled.

Chris | 2:30 p.m. Nov. 13, 2007

If the legislature is going to worry about domestic violence, why don't they try to look at how many people get arrested for trying to defend themselves against their abuser? Too many people get arrested, charged, and their lives ruined, just because they fought back in self-defense when they were getting abused, likely when their life was threatened. Meanwhile, their abuser gets off free, no repurcussions at all. I would rather see our legislature actually trying to figure out how to protect the victims rather than the perpetrators.

Also, I would like someone to look into how many of these "false reports" are really a victim calling the police, and the abuser paying off the police so that no one gets charged, except for the victim who gets a false 9-11 call on their record. This happens way too often.

Tacosta | 5:16 a.m. Nov. 14, 2007

I am from Erie, PA -My brother was just falsely accussed and found Guilty and Given two life sentences with no EVIDENCE. The Child Service Guy was on stand and admitted that he coerced the girls into their words, the doctor stated that the girls were never raped - YOU tell me how in the world can you find a person GUILTY with NO EVIDENCE - this is a system who is being bought, have no conscience on putting someone away just so they can get another notch in that FAT WALLET of theirs. We are no appealing - it is draining our family because we just don't understand how you find someone GUILTY with NO EVIDENCE. If you have any information that can help me please do so. FAlse reports have no merit. This was done in Harrison County Ohio - there is something so seriously wrong in the SYSTEM and we need to stop it somehow and someway. PRAYING FOR A BETTER OUTCOME ON THE APPEAL. For those of you have been falsely accused - keep fighting it is not right what devious people can and will do for money.

Fern | 10:40 a.m. Nov. 16, 2007

False complaints of child abuse, if repeated, should be prosecuted as a felony.

Florida has enacted such a statute.

Perhaps the serious cases could be handled correctly and with compassion if the numerous false allegations and *ALLIGATORS* WERE PROSECUTED. Misspelling intentional!

DCFS caseworkers have far too much immunity, lack of oversight and accountability for a free society not to enact some reasonable laws against harassing families.

Tom | 6:19 p.m. Nov. 25, 2007

Every time DCFS and supporters talk this much they simply reveal how abusive and corrupt they are.

Did you catch how they refuse to push for prosecution of false accusers and just say that it does no harm... They use multiple false abuse allegations to justify themselves re-abusing the falsely accused and especially his children. I've seen it lots. They refuse to use those multiple false allegations on file to go after the false accusers. Why not, they coach and support them.

DCFS and buddies also say they can't push for prosecution on false allegations for several reasons (this is bogus and another lie). They also say false allegation cases can't be proven. But, then you give them many cases, which they also have proof of being lies, and then they just say that if they pushed for prosecution of all the proven false allegations that real abused women (no concern for children?) would not come forward since they would all be afraid of being falsely accused of making false allegations and going to jail for it... Nice logic, "justice" and real abuse, DCFS. Gee, thanks!

Historically, the worst of all child predators have always hunted in packs.

LisaB | 1:56 p.m. Dec. 9, 2007

DCFS has always had the attitude that,"Parents are guilty till proven innocent" and that removing a child/children is in the best interests of the child when a caseworker is alleging child abuse even when there has never been a full investigation or previous "substantiated" allegations. What happens when a caseworker lies about abuse, "substantiates" the mother HIMSELF in a false report and then commits perjury on the witness stand as the ONLY witness in the shelter hearing-and Duane Betournay has the nerve to say that the damage to the parents reputation-is "NIL". I would like Duane to walk in my shoes to see what damage has been done to me and my family especially my two children who were wrongfully stolen from my home. In California, caseworkers are being put in jail for taking children without court orders or warrants-since kidnapping is a felony (so is perjury in this case) why is the caseworker who took my children not in jail?? Also, my question is- why are "unsubstantiated" parents on the state's database in the first place?? I'd like an answer to that question-Duane?

LisaB | 2:10 p.m. Dec. 9, 2007

My question is-why are parents who are "unsubstatiated" doing on the database in the first place? The law is that people are innocent until PROVEN quilty-not guilty until proven innocent.
This is much like DCFS taking children first-then asking questions later.
If it is a felony to falsely accuse someone of abuse, why aren't these people in jail? Caseworkers are being put in jail ( in California) for illegaly taking children without court orders or warrants.
I think it is time that those who damage other people's lives with false accusations and lies in court-need to be held accountable for their actions.

Bonnie Russell | 3:19 a.m. Jan. 3, 2008

It's really remarkable how the press continues to miss the entire story of parental alienation. More at www.FamilyLawCourts.com.

The short version? Report abuse, lose custody...while the facts of the case,the behavior of the brainwashing parent, judges will seldom address, because doing so, would lessen the earning power of therapists and attorneys employed in the divorce industry. Judges like to assist attorneys at all times.

Bud Buzzard | 2:04 p.m. Dec. 2, 2008

I'm a victim of an unfounded,false report. I'm still fighting for my child. Jasper County, Missouri Children's Division goes from one extreme to another, relying on lies and the court accecpts all at face value. And the court appointed attorney has told me to take the beating if I want my little girl back. My case is to be under the Indian Child welfare Act, but trying to get the court and everyone else to recognize that law is madness. My heart goes out to all victims of Children's Division false report. I understand your sufferings and can only offer my pray of strength. Hang in there, fight for all there is right, and you can never go wrong. I enjoyed the many good comments of facts. There is an old saying, what goes around must come back around, and who laugh first will laugh last, and what make you laugh will make you cry. Hang in there I have seen many things in my life go full circle. That is the way of LIFE.

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