Maryland Couple Sues CPS Over Unlawful Seizure of Their Children

Meitiv Family – Image from Danielle Meitiv Facebook Page

Health Impact News Editor Comments

The Meitiv Family in Montgomery County Maryland is reportedly beginning litigation against Maryland CPS and possibly Montgomery County Police as well, for the unlawful seizure of their children this past weekend.

As we have seen in so many other cases we have covered here at Health Impact News, there were no criminal charges filed against the parents of Meitiv children, and the alleged “victims” of parental abuse or neglect were incarcerated by force, in a total violation of their civil rights. The children were walking home from the park when police and CPS detained them for hours, not even allowing them to call their parents. It would appear that the United States has now become the number 1 country in the world incarcerating alleged victims of abuse against their will, in the expanding police state once known for its freedoms and liberty.

Danielle Meitiv, the mother, has posted an article on her Facebook Page showing that the neighborhood they live in has recently been voted one of “The 10 Most Caring Suburbs In America,” and yet she now fears to allow her children to walk alone in their neighborhood due to the threat of kidnapping by local police and CPS. Such is the sad state of affairs in the United States of America today, where parents fear having their children kidnapped by government authorities more than they fear other criminals who could harm their children.

Statement by the family’s attorneys posted on Danielle Meitiv’s Facebook Page:

Meitivs Vow to Fight Unlawful Seizure of Children by Maryland CPS

April 14, 2015

Washington, DC — On a sunny Sunday afternoon, when children should be playing outdoors and enjoying the weather, Danielle and Alexander Meitiv’s children were subjected to a terrifying detainment that no child should have to experience. Shockingly, the Meitiv children experienced this maltreatment at the hands of the very government officials who are entrusted to uphold the law and ensure that children in need are taken care of.

Despite being three short blocks from their home, the Meitiv children—Rafi (10) and Dvora (6)—were stopped at approximately 5 P.M. on Sunday afternoon by police officers in three squad cars simply because Rafi and Dvora were walking home. The police interrogated the children, and Rafi explained that they were walking home and were just three blocks from their house. The police demanded that the children get into one of the police cars, under the misleading “assurance” that the police would bring them home. The children told the police that they know where they live and they would like to call home. The police never called Danielle or Alexander even though the police had all their contact information. Nor did they allow Rafi and Dvora to call their parents.

The Meitiv children were confined to the back of a police car for almost three hours without any explanation of why they were being detained. The Meitiv children were then transported to the Montgomery County Crisis Center for further detention. During this entire time, the children had no access to food and only limited access to the restroom. After a series of delays and decisions by CPS and the police, CPS did not release the children to Danielle and Alexander until 10:30 P.M., and the children did not return home until about 11 P.M. on a school night.

Due to the actions of Maryland CPS and Montgomery County Police, the children were:
— detained in a police car for almost three hours,
— kept from their parents for over six hours without access to food, and
— not returned to the parents until almost midnight on the night before school.

Matthew Dowd, a partner with Wiley Rein, states: “The Meitivs are rightfully outraged by the irresponsible actions of Maryland CPS and Montgomery County Police. We must ask ourselves how we reached the point where a parent’s biggest fear is that government officials will literally seize our children off the streets as they walk in our neighborhoods. The Meitivs intend to fully vindicate their rights as parents and their children’s rights, and to prevent this from happening to their children again. The CPS investigations and actions here are premised on a fundamental misapplication of the law and are contrary to the constitutional rights of these parents to raise their children as they see best.”

The actions of Maryland CPS and Montgomery County Police violate the fundamental rights parents have in raising their children. In Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 75 (2000), the Court explained that “the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment protects the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children.” This fundamental, constitutional right of parents cannot be infringed simply because certain governmental employees disagree with a parent’s reasoned decision on how to raise his or her children.

The Meitivs are troubled by the county’s discretionary use of power to subject this happy, healthy and independent family to invasive, frightening and unnecessary government oversight, when there are other pressing challenges for county families in need.

Wiley Rein is honored to represent the Meitivs on a pro bono basis in their effort to vindicate their parental rights. Wiley Rein team comprises Matthew Dowd, Megan Brown, Parker Lavin, Tyler Robinson, Wesley Weeks, and Sara Luxenberg. Wiley Rein intends to pursue all legal remedies to protect the Meitivs’ parental rights. Wiley Rein is working with Thomas DeGonia of Ethridge Quinn Kemp McAuliffe Rowan & Hartinger and David DeLugas of the National Association of Parents.

Source.

Published on April 16, 2015

5 Comments

Jen April 17, 2015 at 4:19 pm - Reply

I am glad you are filing suit against CPS they have a time and place however this was completely uncalled for and your children should not have been treated that way at all.  What is wrong with children playing at a park by there house? It truly is a shame that the police acted irresponsiblity with your children.  I have a bad taste for CPS because I was in a custody battle and my ex husband accused me of all kinds of awful things to my daughter and she was scritinized and tramatized because of it and the case was tried for 2 days in children dependence court and was dismissed and it was ALL dumbed up charges with the help of my exhusband and his attorney.  So I hope and pray that you win this battle against CPS.

dbcafge April 17, 2015 at 1:46 pm - Reply

elnunal, I KNOW BETTER, My family has been fighting Luzeren county PA for over 5 years, They are an out of control agency that belief they are above the law. They have manufactured evedence, signed documents with my daughtes name, assulted my daughter had one of the kidnapped children under CPS coustody raped and thru it under the carpet,  flat out leid in court, don’t try to say how good CPS is, I don’t want to be me at the end of time ansewering for me in front of God, Let alone what these people do in CPS to the families and the children they kiidnap!!!!!

Joe April 17, 2015 at 3:28 am - Reply

Crazy idea here.  How about the police who patrol the neighborhood spend some time out of their vehicles and walk the beat?  They can then get to know the people.  More specifically, the families, parents and children.  This way, they don’t swoop in like a bunch of strangers (more like predators) not knowing anything about anyone.

elnura1 April 16, 2015 at 9:24 pm - Reply

dbcafge
Ridiculous comment.  As a former CPS worker we were required to have malpractice insurance because workers can be sued.  This family did nothing wrong.  The children are well cared for, independent, self sufficient and more mature for their ages than other children their ages.  How refreshing they are compared to some of the whiny, clingy, self absorbent self centered only person in the universe most children are today who won’t go to the corner store unless they are driven.  I look at junior high kids in my neighborhood where they are driven to the bus stop by their parents, school bus picks them up and at the end of the school day the bus drops them at the bus stop where Mom is waiting in the car for them.  Good grief.  

Children today, not all, are not only not as healthy physically as their parents or grandparents, they are not as resourceful. Parents overindulge, over compensate by filling in the time gap with “stuff” rather than one on one interaction.  Some parents are so enamored with their children they become the focus of their lives (websites or daily tweets about the child’s activity) and this prevents the child from becoming independent. Young children don’t take risks like children back in the day like we did.  Risk taking is healthy and from other articles I’ve read about these children, they seem like they had more sense than the adults that “kidnapped them”.  All parents don’t raise their children the same.  That’s what makes the world an interesting place to live in.  

It’s time for major push back in all areas that have been usurped by the nanny states.  Passivity and not wanting to rock the boat is no longer an option.  The states will take your children, forceably medicate them, vaccinate them, kick them out of public schools that YOUR taxes pay for which entitles them to an education because they are not vaccinated-despite legal exemption existing for medical, religious & philosophical reasons.  Parents must fight for the right to raise their children and make choices for their children  At the same time, parents must be aware of all the consequences of their actions and be accountable for them.  As far as I know-parents still have right in the United States of America.

dbcafge April 16, 2015 at 4:30 pm - Reply

Child abuse is a crime, That is why CPS goes into civil court, if they went into Criminal court, you would have to been charge and given a real defence attorney, NOT one of CPS’s lawyer that will rep CPS and NOT you, You two will be fighting an up hill battle as CPS thru the years of kidnapping children have erected laws around them selves to protect them from going to jail. and if you or I did what CPS did we would be in jail yesterday. CPS is a civil service org, If you try to sue CPS as a hole, you will be shot down in flames, Look into sueing them as an indivigual by name, get it out of so called family court, you will not recive justice there, Fed court might be better if you have the money.