SIL hit niece

[Anonymous]

I know it's hard to make these kind of decisions with family OP. The baby needs to be away from the sil asap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP,
This is literally a matter of life or death. You must do something. Intervene, get that baby away from his mother and get the mother to the hospital. Get DH to start persuading BIL to act. This weekend. Apologies are meaningless. She is sick and needs attention. The baby needs protection.

Yes yes yes. Please listen to this OP. you may save this child's life.

[Anonymous]

Yikes...This is a tough call OP.

First, I would talk to your BIL again and plead w/him to take you up on your offer to let them stay w/you. You may even tell them that if he doesn't, you may be forced to consider other "options" in the best interest of your niece.

If you did, hopefully they would allow you or another family member to care for your niece vs. putting her in a foster home w/complete strangers.

Would you be willing to take on the full~time temporary care of an infant? If not, is there any other family member that you know of that would?

This is a very urgent situation...Time is of the essence.

Please act quickly. Like now.

Slapping a 9 month old infant is completely and utterly unacceptable.

Good Luck.

[Anonymous]

If you did = Call CPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes...This is a tough call OP.

First, I would talk to your BIL again and plead w/him to take you up on your offer to let them stay w/you. You may even tell them that if he doesn't, you may be forced to consider other "options" in the best interest of your niece.

If you did, hopefully they would allow you or another family member to care for your niece vs. putting her in a foster home w/complete strangers.

Would you be willing to take on the full~time temporary care of an infant? If not, is there any other family member that you know of that would?

This is a very urgent situation...Time is of the essence.

Please act quickly. Like now.

Slapping a 9 month old infant is completely and utterly unacceptable.

Good Luck.

It is very unlikely that a CPS call will result in the removal of the baby from both parents. There are many options that they'll explore before doing that, so foster care, or kinship care with the OP is unlikely.

[Anonymous]

I would not call CPS unless you think the child is being abused and you have actual evidence to back up your accusation. You don't want to add fuel to the fire or endanger the baby any further.

Do tell BIL that the baby's welfare must come before the mom's welfare. He must protect the baby at all costs, even if that means removing the baby from his home, divorcing SIL, whatever it takes.

If and only if BIL does not take steps to remedy the situation and protect the baby, then you can call the police. But make sure you have strong evidence, and that you are willing to accept the consequences. You and your DH are not likely to have a relationship with BIL and SIL ever again.

[Anonymous]

Call baby's pedistricisn

[Anonymous]

I had a similar situation except it was a single mom with baby. I told her she had one hour to agree to letting the baby stay with us temporarily (and get herself better, get supports) etc or I was calling CPS. The baby ended up with us for two weeks. She did get herself together but it was still hard to let the baby go home knowing that a couple weeks only touches the surface of her getting better.

[Anonymous]

I agree with calling pediatrician. MD's are mandatory reporters and familiar with the CPS system. Absent, that, call CPS directly. Disagree with above poster about forcing her to surrender baby to you. If situation becomes a legal one you want all actions to be above board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not call CPS unless you think the child is being abused and you have actual evidence to back up your accusation. You don't want to add fuel to the fire or endanger the baby any further.

Do tell BIL that the baby's welfare must come before the mom's welfare. He must protect the baby at all costs, even if that means removing the baby from his home, divorcing SIL, whatever it takes.

If and only if BIL does not take steps to remedy the situation and protect the baby, then you can call the police. But make sure you have strong evidence, and that you are willing to accept the consequences. You and your DH are not likely to have a relationship with BIL and SIL ever again.

Huh? How is hitting a 9 month old NOT abuse??? This isn't some "gray" area.

OP--call CPS. I am a school principal who has called many times. Not every call results in an investigation. Explain what you know. They will decide whether to pick up the case. CPS has access to services that will help this family.

At the end of the day, I need to be able to look at myself in the mirror and know I did everything I could to protect a child. It doesn't matter who it upsets. The child's safety trumps all of that. And this will always be one of those situations where you have to err on the side of making a mistake. Make the call.

[Anonymous]

It's only a short step from slapping to shaking (if that hasn't happened already), so I think you have to intervene, though it's difficult. If you can't get the name of the pediatrician, CPS it is. Good luck, OP.

[Anonymous]

The baby is endangered. Forget the discussion/debate over "abuse." OP, good luck. I'm thinking of you and your situation.

[Anonymous]

I would be urging BIL to call his wife's OB for an emergency appointment and advice. The baby also shouldn't be left alone with SIL right now. BIL might need to take FMLA whirl this gets straightened out.

I don't think CPS is the answer--medical treatment for SIL is.

[Anonymous]

Slapping a baby is not nice but legally it is unlikely to meet a legal definition for abuse.

Cps can come over to the house but the family can choose to refuse them entry. And likely CPS wouldn't see anything wrong that would give them cause to pursue a warrant.

[Anonymous]

Slapping a baby is not nice but legally it is unlikely to meet a legal definition for abuse.

Cps can come over to the house but the family can choose to refuse them entry. And likely CPS wouldn't see anything wrong that would give them cause to pursue a warrant

anyone who slaps a 9 month old is on the edge. it only takes one episode of shaking a baby to cause lifelong brain injury or death. And, if you think its unlikely to meet a legal definition of abuse, think again.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Beaumont-police-arrest-mom-after-video-shows-baby-5485059.php