There are many cases where parents cannot be entirely confident about who or where they leave their children, such as with schools or nannies. There are many horror stories where young children are the victims. However, some people genuinely care about the children they care for, while others may not prioritize their children’s needs. Such is the case of this Reddit post, where a nanny in Utah is hesitant to speak to CPS about the three children they cares for due to parental neglect. This nanny is highly concerned about the children, but reporting someone seemed to them like a severe accusation.
Redditor Western_Dentist_8166 came to r/legaladvice because they are concerned about what to do regarding the children they care for. OP says that they have been babysitting for a family in Utah for several years, starting with them when the oldest of their three children was very young. However, during that time, they have witnessed parental neglect and wonder if they should call CPS. This nanny lists potential reasons for filing a report, such as the lack of food or insufficient food to feed the children. This causes the youngest of the three children, who is only a few months old, to cry frequently due to hunger.
On occasions, OP had to go to the store and buy food with their own money. Sometimes, the parents ask OP to go shopping for food very late at night in a dangerous area. And even once, parents “feed” one of their children, giving him a protein shake and nothing else. OP also described that because of their job, they have to report negligent parents. This is why the users responded in this way:
It’s not your job to decide if things are “bad enough”. That’s the job of the investigator. As a mandated reporter you are supposed to call if you SUSPECT.
IDontMeanToInterrupt
Edit to add: intentions don’t fill bellies.
As if that wasn’t enough, this babysitter also described the house as always filthy, with garbage or moldy dishes in the sink, but human urine and feces on the bathroom floor. OP also found pills of dubious origin all over the floor. It is also very difficult to find clean clothes to dress the children, most of the time. Fortunately, the Redditors pressured OP, and he finally called CPS. It remains to be seen what the authorities decide after the investigation.
