Ridiculous Abuse of Power by Child Protective Services

I realize that Child Protective Services are necessary to protect children from parents who are chronically irresponsible and perhaps criminally minded. However I also realize that sometimes the providers of such services can get so caught up in the righteousness of their intentions that they actually make things worse.

Here is one instance where it sounds like that was the case:

In April a University of Michigan archaelogy professor took his seven year old son to a Detroit Tigers game and ended up forcibly removed from his chid, wife, and home. If it sounds strange, that's because it is.

During the game the man made the honest mistake of buying his son a Mike's Hard Lemondade from the refreshment stand. He said he had never heard of the brand before and had no idea it contained 5 percent alcohol.

After a security guard spotted the boy with the bottle and notified the father, the two were rushed to the hospital via ambulance. If that sounds like overkill, that's because it is. Still the boy was cleared as being in normal health.

Unfortunately a police supervisor recommended the case be turned over to the Child Protective Services. The CPS came to the hospital and took the child, keeping him in their custody for three days before a judge ordered him returned home to his mother (also a U of M professor) against CPS's requests.

Still the judge set the condition that the father must leave the house. He was forced to live in a hotel and not allowed to see his family until things were finally settled five days later.


I call gross misuse of power on the police supervisor, the CPS, and the judge here.