
Single Mother Handcuffed, Jailed for Letting 14-Year-Old Babysit During COVID
Recently on Dr. Phil and Reason Magazine
When COVID-19 shut down her children's daycare in May of 2020, and Melissa Henderson had to go to work, she asked her 14-year-old daughter, Linley, to babysit the four younger siblings. Linley was engaged in remote learning when her youngest brother, four-year-old Thaddeus, spied his friend outside and went over to play with him. It was about 10 or 15 minutes before Linley realized he was missing. She guessed that he must be at his friend's house, and went to fetch him.
In the meantime, the friend's mom had called the police.
Now Henderson, a single mom in Blairsville, Georgia, is facing criminal reckless conduct charges for letting her 14-year-old babysit. The charges carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison and fine of $1,000. The arresting officer, Deputy Sheriff Marc Pilote, wrote in his report that anything terrible could have happened to Thaddeus, including being kidnapped, run over, or "bitten by a venomous snake." (When Henderson protested that the kid was only gone a few minutes, Pilote responded that a few minutes was all the time a venomous snake needed.)
HelP ParentsUSA defend Melissa
with a GoFundMe Donation
When ParentsUSA participates legal counsel for a parent or parents or supports a parent's position in an appeal by preparing and filing an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief, ParentsUSA does so without charge (pro bono). Donate here by using the DONATE button or, because ParentsUSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, you also can donate through GoFundMe Charity which donations are made directly to PayPal Giving Fund (which is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization). After the deduction of payment processing fees, PayPal Giving Fund delivers the funds they receive to ParentsUSA!
300 Families (and Counting) Fall Victim to Wrongful Child Abuse Allegations
You’re a parent taking your child to the doctor for medical care. Genuinely concerned about the health of your child, you behave perfectly normally, determined that your child receive proper care. However, when your child is seen by doctors, medical professionals in whom you should have utmost trust, another doctor, not necessary to the care […]
Read MoreShould Only Government Determine What a Child is Taught?
The ruling made in the US Supreme Court case Wisconsin v. Yoder may be in jeopardy and, if overturned, the ramifications will reach far beyond the Amish community for which it addressed. In 1972, the right of the Amish community to exercise their religious beliefs, including not requiring their children to receive formal schooling past […]
Read MoreParents or Government? Who should decide what activities a child is “allowed” to play?
Imagine a world where the state can interfere in your child’s day-to-day life, governing something as familiar and as commonplace as the after-school sports and activities in which your child plays or participates such as dancing, cheerleading, or football? Sounds like something that can’t possibly happen in the USA, the land of the free, right? […]
Read MorePerception vs Reality: A Look at Moral Perceptions and Attitudes that Affect Parenting Decisions AND Unwarranted Parenting Criticism
Consider this situation. You find a child unattended in a car and either merely wonder whether the child is safe or become alarmed about the child’s safety. Now, consider how different perceptions of the same situation will affect how one might handle the situation. For instance, how might you feel if you learned that the […]
Read MoreAfter False Child Abuse Allegations, Parents are Beginning to Fight Back
This article addresses information that covers the repercussions of the incident discussed, link here > Make sure you read the first article before you read this one. Link here > Child abuse pediatricians are a sub-specialty of doctors who are working more and more frequently alongside other medical professionals and child protective services, where they […]
Read MoreHarms Child when the Doctor’s Incorrect Diagnosis Causes His Parents to Lose Custody!
It’s a parent’s worst nightmare. One night, early in the morning, your baby goes limp in your arms and you find yourself rushing to the hospital. But here’s the thing, the real ordeal hasn’t even begun yet. For one family in Houston, the nightmare took a turn for the worse. Dealing with a child’s misdiagnosis […]
Read MoreProblems Inside & Outside DCYF Pose Another Challenge to Children’s Safety and Parents’ Rights
Interactions between parents and children protective services programs (called different names in different states, Division of Children, Youth and Families “DCYF” in this instance) is challenging enough for parents, impacting the parents and children in irrevocable ways. However, it seems that parents’ problems with CPS go beyond the dynamic between parents and the program itself. […]
Read MoreA Social Worker’s Lies Result in Parents Losing Custody of Their Children
In Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, a social worker made false claims about a family, reporting that she witnessed various instances of neglect. Among her false claims she made, she lied that the mother tested positive for drugs and that she failed to comply with the terms of probation for an offense she had allegedly committed. […]
Read MoreAnother Wrongful ‘Medical Child Abuse’ Accusation Leads to A Mother’s Loss of Custody Of Her Daughter
Picture this: A sick child. A worried, attentive mom unwilling to leave her child’s side, desperately seeking care for her child’s condition. Sound like a case of medical child abuse to you? Two years ago, a distressed mother in Houston rushed her ill daughter to the hospital after a massive hurricane hit Texas. She was […]
Read MoreDoctor Erroneous Diagnosis Results in Texas Parents Losing Custody of their Child
A misdiagnosis of a child can be devastating enough to the health of the child and the impact on the entire family. But when a serious medical case is mishandled by the state, the consequences are traumatizing and even destructive. In May 2015, a family in Elgin, Texas had just welcomed their baby boy. Unfortunately, […]
Read More- « Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next »