Ever dealt with possible child abuse??

Ok kinda long story but I need to vent...

We bought our home about 4 years ago. We met our neighbors directly next store right away. First off seemed like very nice people. Never really had any problems at first. We kinda stick to ourselves. Well I became friends with the women who lives there. It's her, her husband, and step daughter (is 16 now). They have a grandson (about 8 yo) that visits from time to time. Well the first year I noticed there daughter had a big black eye. She would take her to work with her (she cleans houses for people) and she said she was playing on a motorcycle and hit her face on the steering wheel. I thought it was kinda strange but okay.

Then about 6 months later another black eye, this time the daughter told my 12 yo son her glasses broke after falling off the back porch. Then it kept happening. About every 6-8 months I would notice a black eye or bruising ect. Not even a week after that she had 2 black eyes not just one. I never heard an explanation for that one. I called child services. I don't like sticking my nose in people's business but when it comes to children i dont take it lightly. My son is rambunctious and hes never had that many injuries!

At first i chalked it up to clumsiness but now I dont think so. She comes to use my phone today and says her daughter broke her arm falling. I guess a women who lives behind us called child services bc my neighbors daughter told her shes getting hit a lot lately. Finally someone else is calling but over the course of 4 years child services has come and left and nothing!!!theres more stories I just cant explain it all. I just get frustrated. How can you raise a child as your own and that child have so many injuries in such a short time and the state does nothing!?! Makes no sense to me. I've tried getting the girl to talk to me bc she comes over often asking for sugar, milk, bread, ect and I feel like shes too scared to open up. And that's the problem. When that child is so terrified they wont speak up. We were outside talking one day and she slapped her right infront of me! I went off. I told her not to hit her like that infront of me. Needless to say we didnt speak for a while. I just hate this situation and I needed to vent a little. I mean am I jumping to conclusions or could it truly be shes beating her that bad?

532 views • 6 upvotes • 39 comments

COMMENT (39)

Pe

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Sorry I wouldn’t be minding my own business and give up on the child’s safety. Unfortunately more often than not CPS won’t do anything until the situation is very bad or they get enough calls about it. The child needs someone fighting for her.

ɥɔ

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I would write down dates of every incident and would file a report online as well as making a phone call. I'd also go as far as reporting it to the police and asking for them to do a welfare check. Also given that her injuries are so visible I'd also assume the dad knows or is also involved

Ac

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I mean if she's 18 now, where I live that's straight up assault and/or domestic violence, not specifically child abuse. Don't need to get CPS involved, just call the cops.

ɥɔ

ɥɔ • Oct 30, 2019
Haha it's okay just thought I'd point it out as on first glance the ages are a bit confusing but totally agree on the police though

Ac

Ac • Oct 30, 2019
Oops. I was skimming and must have mixed the 16 up with the 8 on the next line 🤦🏼‍♀️ Stand by calling the cops though.

ɥɔ

ɥɔ • Oct 30, 2019
The stepdaughter is only 16

SN

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Definitely call police. I grew up in abusive family and no one ever helped us. People had suspicions but no one did anything. Help the girl out. No one deserves to be abused.

Posted at
Could you try to interact with the girl more? Invite her over to dinner or hang out or go places? Give her a safe place. Every hour with you is an hour away. The break might help your neighbor relax and back off too. You would have to make nice with the neighbor as if she's on to you she might get mad at the girl for going to your place. Maybe eventually the girl will open up. Sorry, it has to be hard to watch. CPS tends to be busy and placements is overbooked, so unfortunately unless her injuries are serious they won't take her away especially at that age.

Ly

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That poor child!!! Something definitely needs to be done to help her because she's obviously being horribly abused!!

Ha

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Just so you know, in my state at least, you can't file a cps/dss report on a child that lives outside of your home. You just have to go to the police.

Va

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At this point I would mind my own business. Obvi cps isn’t doing anything.

Sa

Sa • Oct 30, 2019
Would you tell that to my friend who's husband killed her 1 week after she spoke up? I'm sorry, but you're so very wrong.

🐈 • Oct 30, 2019
Every situation is different. Maybe you were string enough to speak up, but not everyone is. It would be helpful if so victims could, but some have been brainwashed more or longer. Your abuse was different than hers. Sometimes, survival is keeping your head down. This woman wants to help the neighbor so your advice isn't relevant to this post.

Gi

Gi • Oct 30, 2019
It’s extremely dangerous to speak up. You need to do some research. You are honestly so disgusting