Missouri CPS under scrutiny

CPS is getting scrutiny in Missouri:

The emergency room diagnosis of the toddler’s fracture fell into that unsettling gray area where nobody was able to sufficiently prove whether it was caused by an accident or child abuse.

In the end, investigators with Missouri’s Children’s Division argued the type of break was a sign of abuse, but they had no evidence tying it to a particular parent, who both said the baby fell out of the father’s arms after he fell asleep in a chair.

For the parents, the abuse finding triggered a legal battle that cost them more than $15,000 to clear their names from state child abuse and neglect records.

The story was just one of dozens told to state legislators on the new Joint Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect as it hosted “listening posts” around the state to hear about people’s experiences with the state’s Children’s Division.

There is something really sick about CPS agents thinking that ever accident is really abuse.

Last week, Kirkton heard a variety of issues from an attorney, a private caseworker, a child advocate and a parent who came to the listening post. One said children in foster care weren’t always getting capable and effective court advocates. Another said the Children’s Division has lost so many attorneys to turnover, that adoptions and other court matters were moving too slow.

Kirkton tied many of the issues to inadequate funding.

No, CPS has too much money if they are investigating and charging minor accident fractures.

Update: A reader adds a similar story in Georgia.