Falsely accused of child abuse, what do you do? You aren’t considered innocent until guilty. Do-gooders can have an over active imagination and connect dots where there aren’t any. People don’t always have all the information and tend to draw wrong conclusions. During a divorce, child abuse allegations tend to crop up. An experienced and talented defense attorney will be able to help you prove that there is no case against you and build an overwhelming defense against your charges.
Steps to Take After Being Falsely Accused of Child Abuse
Get a Lawyer
And not just any lawyer, get a lawyer who specializes in these kinds of cases if you can. Cases concerning false allegations of child abuse are extremely complicated; it’s critical to know all the loopholes and nuances involved especially since, in your case since you’ve been falsely accused of child abuse, no crime was committed. Hire a lawyer either in your state or has gone to court in your state, and has experience in defending people against false child abuse accusations and most importantly, a record of success.
If you can’t hire the best, as they don’t come cheap, find someone dedicated and emotionally invested in their cases. Hire the next best thing, a lawyer who will consult more experienced lawyers for advice.
Be Proactive
Hard Evidence
You must defend your rights and your innocence since you’ve been falsely accused of child abuse. Doing this will increase your chances of not being convicted and having to face serious penalties. Document everything as accurately as you can so that you can build your case and evidence to prove your side of the story. Take pictures with time stamps and videos, document the physical well-being of your child with whatever means and method at your disposal.Soft Evidence
Testimonies aren’t hard evidence but will add to your defense. Have witnesses who can confirm dates and times they saw your kids and appeared fine. Consult your lawyer, and consider contacting the Department of Family and Child Services about the accusations you’re facing and have them verify there are indeed no bruises or marks on the child.Support
Find people who can testify to your competence in raising your children, and character references. Individuals who’ve known your for years and have seen you at family gatherings or parties can vouch for how much you love your children. Get everything out in the open as early as you can; you don’t want to look like you’re guilty or hiding something. People like to judge, it’s inherent in our nature, and it makes us feel better about ourselves. Being falsely accused of child abuse is no joke. You’re going to need emotional support to get through this rough patch. You need people who know you and believe in you.
Don’t Incriminate Yourself
Don’t talk to police, don’t assume that the justice system will protect your innocence and don’t welcome anyone from child services into your home without a warrant and lawyer present. It’s not unheard of individuals being interrogated for hours on end without breaks and coerced into believing they’ve done something when in reality they haven’t. You’ve just been falsely accused of child abuse, know your rights and make sure you have someone in your corner.
Consult Experts
It never hurts to have experts on your side. Whenever it’s possible to use expert witnesses who can assess interviewing techniques or intelligently speak about human suggestibility or memory distortion, find them and bring them to your side. Presenting your case to the court and convincing them requires people who can speak well, command attention and are persuasive. You’ve been falsely accused of child abuse, and need everything possible trick on your pocket.
Protect Your Children
Do everything within your power to keep your children with you. The court has the power to remove your kids and prevent you from having any contact with them, even though you’ve been falsely accused of child abuse. Neither you nor your lawyer will be able to do anything to stop a court order. However, you can argue that removing your children from your custody is an action that assumes you are guilty. It’s important you fight tooth and nail for them because if they live with someone who assumes you’re guilty, this individual may brainwash your children with their thoughts.
Media
They can either help or hurt you, and you must take this into consideration. If your kids go to school, think about the implications and how other children will treat them. In theory, the legal system will be impartial especially since you’ve been falsely accused of child abuse. But sympathetic media coverage can have a positive impact on the outcome of your case. Do research and consult your lawyer before making this move. You want to be strategic with every move you make in this battle.
Summary of Falsely Accused Child Abuse
Get a lawyer, someone who’s experienced and knowledgeable about these types of cases. Be proactive in collecting evidence to support your side of the story. Find support, family, and friends who know you best and will help carry you through this mess. Don’t say anything that could potentially get you into trouble and without your lawyer present. Consult experts and get them to testify on your behalf. Protect your children and do everything to keep them with you. Consider seeking out media coverage; this may work to your advantage. All these pieces are important to winning your case, most of all you need a good lawyer. Come check out Alan Jay Braverman.
