My stepmother should be banned from children!

dunvilles

My stepmom should be legally banned from being around children! She is a danger to herself and to them and my stepsister is an enabler/just as guilty!

This weekend my stepmother put my 2 yo niece in her 8 yo brother's booster seat and didn't buckle her in because "they weren't going far". Then she refused to buckle her seatbelt. Next, she put her in a booster seat on the outside of the booth and my niece fell out and got a huge softball size goose egg on her head. This was after ordering her a coke to drink... OMG MORON! I wasn't with them or I would have told her she HAD to put my niece in the carseat! My niece was crying because she wanted to sit in the car w/my son and so my stepmom just carried over the booster seat... Let her cry and be safe.. good lord!

Some of her other offenses are: letting my niece suck wine and whiskey off their fingers to help her teething and because she likes it, just sitting my nieces infant carrier in the car and not buckling it in at all, putting whiskey in her bottles to calm her down, giving her benedryl to put her to sleep early

My nieces mom knows all about this and is too caught up in her life to give  a crap about it! IT MAKES ME SO MAD!!!!

Han17nah39

OMG.

yourmysunshine

Would that be grounds to call CPS on them?

8daysaweek

I wrote an article recently (I'm a journalist) about someone who was giving a child medicine to make them sleep. I was told by a couple people (a cop and a social worker) that it is abuse.

 OP, depending on how close you are to your step-sister, I would handle it one of two ways: Either have a heart-to-heart with stepsister about stepmom's behavior and give her the chance to change things or call CPS and report it.

 I know your stepsister isn't the one who actually does this stuff but leaving her daughter with someone she knows will do these things is tantamount to neglect.

 If you want to make a report, they'll need to know the child's name, age and address; nature of the abuse and when and where it happened; your stepmother's name and relationship to the child; and any other information you think might be relevant.

 Your niece is too young to speak for herself and the people who should be doing it aren't.  Good luck.

vanverth

You realize that this is ALL abuse and should be reported to CPS.  And if you are a teacher, work with children or are in health care you are a mandated reporter and can be held legally responsible for not reporting.  The report can be annoymous if you would like.

yourmysunshine

vanverth:

You realize that this is ALL abuse and should be reported to CPS.  And if you are a teacher, work with children or are in health care you are a mandated reporter and can be held legally responsible for not reporting.  The report can be annoymous if you would like.

I didn't realize that teachers or people that work with children are mandated to report this?

dragon_chica

yourmysunshine:

vanverth:

You realize that this is ALL abuse and should be reported to CPS.  And if you are a teacher, work with children or are in health care you are a mandated reporter and can be held legally responsible for not reporting.  The report can be annoymous if you would like.

I didn't realize that teachers or people that work with children are mandated to report this?

Ohhhhh yes.  It is a law and I, a teacher, would get into a shiitload of trouble if I suspected, witnessed, or heard something that was going on with my students and didn't say anything.  Unfortunately I've had to call CPS a couple times due to strange bruising on the back and a story a student told me.

OP, I would call CPS.  Even though you didn't witness most of these things firsthand CPS will make the call on whether or not to investigate.  But it's better that you said something than not and the next thing you know your stepmom gets in a car accident just driving around the block and your niece is severely injured. 

A not so fun fact: Many carseat injuries occur right by a person's home because they have the same mentality.  "We're just driving to the store, what could happen?"

8daysaweek

yourmysunshine:

vanverth:

You realize that this is ALL abuse and should be reported to CPS.  And if you are a teacher, work with children or are in health care you are a mandated reporter and can be held legally responsible for not reporting.  The report can be annoymous if you would like.

I didn't realize that teachers or people that work with children are mandated to report this?

Yes, they definitely are. My H is a teacher and I've been an education journalist for several years. I've written stories about teachers who got in trouble for not reporting.

Here's a list of mandated reporter positions from the state of Illinois:

• Medical Personnel: Physicians, psychiatrists, surgeons, residents, interns, dentists, dentist hygienists, medical examiners, pathologists, osteopaths, coroners, Christian Science practitioners, chiropractors, podiatrists, registered and licensed practical nurses, emergency medical technicians, substance abuse treatment personnel, hospital administrators and other personnel involved in the examination, care or treatment of patients.
• School and Child Care Personnel: Teachers, school personnel, educational advocates assigned to a child pursuant to the School Code, truant officers, directors and staff assistants of day care centers and nursery schools, and child care workers.
• Law Enforcement: Truant officers, probation officers, law enforcement officers, and field personnel of the Department of Corrections.
• State Agencies: Field personnel from the Departments of Children and Family Services, Public Health, Public Aid, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Corrections, Human Rights, Rehabilitation Services. Also includes supervisors and administrators of general assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code.
• Others: Social workers, social service administrators, substance abuse treatment personnel, domestic violence program personnel, crisis line or hotline personnel, foster parents, homemakers, recreational program or facility personnel, registered psychologists and assistants working under the direct supervision of a psychologist, members of the clergy.

 

grace_smith03

Due to family politics, in your sitch, i'd go to CPS directly.  (if your niece's mom is too caught up in her life, not much will change, and you will look like a busybody) 

I guess one question I would ask myself...how would i feel if something serious happenedd to my niece due to this moron watching her? 

I'd have to report it asap. Thoughts and prayers to you.

Temp36641187503164

I would call CPS.

Jessys_Girl

yourmysunshine:

Would that be grounds to call CPS on them?

yourmysunshine:

vanverth:

You realize that this is ALL abuse and should be reported to CPS.  And if you are a teacher, work with children or are in health care you are a mandated reporter and can be held legally responsible for not reporting.  The report can be annoymous if you would like.

I didn't realize that teachers or people that work with children are mandated to report this?

Yes.  This is a CPS worthy situation on all accounts.  Neglect, child endangerment, and flat out abuse (allowing a child to have alcohol! Medicating a child to make her sleep!)

And yes, there are many professional positions that REQUIRE reporting of abuse/neglect.  I am a Social Worker in Michigan and I don't just have to report things about my CLIENTS, I have to report ANY abuse/neglect I witness or am aware of.

melody921

This is so scary. I would have to report her. Alcohol and a lack of carseats are serious safety concerns. While I don't agree with giving kids soda, that's a mild portion of this.