[tigerlily84]

Hello everyone,

If this is in the wrong forum, my apologies. Mods, please feel free to move this to the right one if need be.

Recently my best friend's niece had a baby. Her niece, which we'll call Sarah, is abusive towards her child. She yells at the baby when she has to change her, screaming, and throws things around in a violent manner. She also slaps the baby's face when the child cries, which only terrifies the child even more. My friend has seen quite a few marks and bruises on the baby's body. I haven't seen Sarah do this personally, this is merely things that my best friend has told me. Sarah also suffers from bipolar and is refusing to take her meds. My friend is scared for the baby and goes over to her niece's house to "watch the baby" but she really goes over there to keep an eye on her niece's behavior. Sarah still lives with her parents.

Sarah's parents think that she is the best parent in the world but my friend knows this is obviously not the case. I told my friend that she should get the baby out of that situation if she is scared for the child. I also told her that if she tries to take the child without calling the cops that Sarah could say that my friend is attempting to kidnap her child, and the law would be on Sarah's side, not my friend's. (If that is not correct, please let me know.) I am urging my friend to call CPS, and she will not budge on this. Now that she has told me of her niece's abuse towards her child, I can't stop thinking about it. Should I call CPS since my friend won't? Do I have the right to, since I am not part of the family? (I have known my friend for 20 years, and the niece for her entire life.)

I should also mention that the child's father is not in the picture. I pray for this child to be kept safe. I knew that there was a danger of Sarah being abusive towards her child from the minute that she got pregnant. Also, this baby is about 2 weeks old.

What do you guys think I should do?

BY ALL MEANS CALL CPS ... !!!

DO IT RIGHT NOW AND WITHOUT DELAY ... !!!

This mother is out of control and could very well end up killing this child.

You can contact their 24 hour hotline and let them know what your friend has told you she's seen, heard and observed.

They'll send someone out to assess the situation and take appropriate action.

You can remain anonymous if you so desire.

AGAIN ... BY ALL MEANS CALL CPS ... !!!

AND DO IT RIGHT NOW ... !!!

[pegasus]

Yes, please call, you have nothing to lose and a child's life is at stake. Good luck!

Yes, I urge you to call them ASAP please.
No child should be put at risk.

Good luck

[adam_k]

You should call. It seems like the niece is obviously overwhelmed and unequipped to take care of the baby. Both of them need help. The baby needs a home where it can be safe, and the niece needs help to cope with whatever she is dealing with. It's not like she will lose the baby forever. She can get the help she needs and then reapply for guardianship. If the baby where to die, I doubt the niece could recoup from that. I would call.

[tigerlily84]

Thank you all for your replies! I really appreciate each and every one of you.

I called CPS. I didn't leave my name. But they told me that they had already had an open investigation on the niece. But I felt immense relief that I called.

My friend called and told me that her dad (this would be the niece's grandfather) called anonymously. I'm not sure if the baby is still in the niece's custody though.

[montanan4ever]

If the baby remains in the girl's custody and you witness so much as a TWITCH of anything out of line, call 911 and get that baby to safety. Hopefully the child will be removed to foster care or some other safe location forthwith and the mother will be remanded to treatment.

[GreyThinker]

Originally Posted by tigerlily84

Thank you all for your replies! I really appreciate each and every one of you.

I called CPS. I didn't leave my name. But they told me that they had already had an open investigation on the niece. But I felt immense relief that I called.

My friend called and told me that her dad (this would be the niece's grandfather) called anonymously. I'm not sure if the baby is still in the niece's custody though.

It's good that you called. Often the authorities find it easier to act if they have information from more than one source. The more reports of concern that they have the clearer a picture they can get of the home-life, and also if the file keeps getting updated it becomes better known.

[shortandcute]

I agree with the other posters, and I think you did the right thing.

Well done, tigerlily, well done ...

So many people won't get involved, but I never hesitate to make that call if I suspect that a child, an old person or an animal is suffering abuse.

I'm so glad you called.

[RJ78]

Yes, good work tigerlily.

RJ