Updated: Dec. 1, 2020
Originally Published: Nov. 30, 2020
I don’t know a single parent who doesn’t recognize the importance of programs, organizations, and resources designed to protect children. We are grateful for our doctors and nurses who come to our aid when our children are sick or injured. We appreciate our teachers, especially in these challenging times, for their endless patience and commitment to education that inspires us. We rely on our first responders, knowing we can reach out during emergencies, confident they will provide CPR, bandages, or transport to the nearest hospital if our children are in need.
Another crucial organization that garners our support as parents is Child Protective Services (CPS). We’ve all heard the heart-wrenching tales of children who have suffered abuse and neglect, leaving us wondering how no one intervened. Our hearts ache when we learn about the pain innocent children endure, and we feel thankful for social workers from CPS who identify abuse and work to ensure these children find safe, nurturing homes.
According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Child Protective Investigations (CPI) has several key responsibilities:
- Investigating claims of child abuse and neglect.
- Collaborating with law enforcement on joint investigations.
- Taking custody of children deemed unsafe.
- Connecting children with community resources that enhance their safety and well-being.
- Aiding in the fight against human trafficking.
For all these critical roles, we are truly grateful.
However, as allegations of abuse arise, investigators face two potential conclusions, as DFPS outlines:
- The investigator determines the children are safe if (a) no evidence of abuse or neglect is found, and no safety threats are present, or (b) the family appears willing and able to address any safety concerns using available resources. If deemed safe, the case may be closed.
- The investigator concludes the children are unsafe if (a) significant threats and risks are identified, and (b) the family seems unable or unwilling to utilize available resources to mitigate the risks.
Yet, like any system, CPS has its imperfections. Often underfunded and overwhelmed, CPS struggles to properly handle cases, which can result in children being unduly harmed by a broken system. This can occur not only when CPS fails to protect a child but also when directives from higher-ups lead social workers to incorrectly identify signs of abuse that may not exist.
This is what happened to Lisa and Mark Harris—devoted parents of a toddler and an infant, whose lives were upended one day after a fun outing in their yard.
As a stay-at-home mom who had three kids in five years, I can relate to Lisa’s experience. Both of us paused our careers to raise our children while our spouses worked long hours to support our families. We understand the relentless challenge of caring for a needy toddler and a delicate breastfeeding baby simultaneously. The exhaustion, the fear of inadequacy, and the anxiety that one day everything could change—leaving us with empty arms and an empty home.
This was the harrowing reality that Lisa and Mark faced in the summer of 2018. One moment they were a content, albeit tired, family of four; the next, their children were taken away, leaving them in uncertainty about their future.
On a sweltering July day in Tomball, TX, Lisa took her two children—two-year-old Lily and five-month-old Noah—outside to cool off with the sprinkler. When it was time to go back inside, Lisa decided to remove their wet bathing suits outdoors to avoid getting the carpet wet. When she undressed Lily, she placed Noah on a lawn chair momentarily, believing it was safe since the ground was too hot for him to lie on.
That choice would haunt Lisa for years to come.
A moment later, she heard a bloodcurdling scream from her tiny son. Turning around, she found Noah on the ground, not on the chair anymore, and instantly knew he was hurt.
From then on, Lisa acted like any concerned mother would. She called 911, reached out to her husband, and cradled her baby while following the first responders’ instructions. She was honest with the medical staff, acknowledging her mistake. All she wanted was for Noah to be okay.
What she and Mark didn’t realize was that with every passing hour, as tests and scans were conducted, the medical team grew suspicious. Noah had multiple skull fractures, and some doctors believed his injuries didn’t align with Lisa’s account. This suspicion launched Lisa, Mark, Lily, and Noah on a heartbreaking journey to keep their family intact—a journey where they learned new acronyms like CAP (Child Abuse Pediatricians) and experienced the abrupt shift from being seen as loving parents to being labeled as abusive by those in authority.
This experience is now chronicled in a podcast by NBC News and Wondery titled “Do No Harm: An In-Depth Look at Two Families’ Fight Against the Child Welfare System,” featuring the Harris family.
Honestly, as a parent, it’s difficult to listen to the podcast. You connect with Lisa and Mark, recalling your own parenting experiences. You hear the anguish in her voice as her infant, still recovering from a traumatic brain injury, is taken from her. You listen to the heartbreaking cries of their children and witness the parents’ despair as strangers drive away with their kids.
“That moment was the hardest for me,” Mark recounts, describing how he had to force Lily into her car seat against her will while she cried, “Daddy, I don’t want to go. I want to stay here.”
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare realized.
“It’s hard to describe the silence in a house without your children,” Lisa expresses in episode 3, her voice trembling. “It was suffocating.”
“It takes everything in you to keep from collapsing,” Mark adds, stating that his determination to be strong for Lisa was what kept him standing.
You can’t help but wonder how such a tragedy could occur. How can devastating stories like that of another child’s death happen, where multiple reports are made, yet one innocent family is torn apart for a single mistake?
The answer lies in the aftermath of that tragedy. The state of Texas took aggressive actions to prevent another child from slipping through the cracks after the heartbreaking case of a little girl whose life was lost despite numerous CPS visits. New measures were implemented, emphasizing that any report from a doctor suggesting abuse must be taken seriously.
As a result, when CPS received a report regarding Noah’s injuries, even though there was no evidence of abuse or neglect otherwise, the new rules meant that Lisa and Mark faced immense scrutiny.
Despite being cooperative and prioritizing Noah’s recovery, the system’s response was swift and harsh. The decisions made by CPS, which were supposed to protect children, ultimately harmed Noah and his sibling.
Still, Lisa, as a concerned mother, empathizes with the challenges CPS faces, acknowledging that no child should be returned to a harmful environment. She believes in the mission of child protection but also asserts that the cost of misdiagnosing a situation can be devastating, stating, “The cost of this misdiagnosis is Noah.”
The truth is, none of us will navigate the ups and downs of parenthood without making mistakes. I recall teaching my son to walk and witnessing him crash into the coffee table—blood everywhere. I remember thinking he had mastered the stairs, only to realize he wasn’t ready and tumbled down. Mistakes happen, and I, like Lisa, have felt the weight of guilt for these errors.
“Those mistakes feel like the worst thing ever,” Mark reflects. “But then to find out it’s actually worse.”
For more information on child welfare and resources, visit CDC’s excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination and learn more about couples’ fertility journeys at this reputable site.
Search Queries:
- How does CPS investigate child abuse allegations?
- What to do if CPS takes your child?
- Understanding child protective services and parental rights.
- How to navigate the child welfare system.
- Resources for parents facing CPS investigations.
Summary:
This article explores the harrowing experience of Lisa and Mark Harris, whose children were taken away by Child Protective Services due to an unfortunate accident. It highlights the challenges parents face, the implications of the child welfare system, and the emotional toll that such interventions can have on families. Through their story, we gain insight into the complexities of protective services and the importance of understanding the system’s impact on innocent families.