There are few situations that are as stressful as discovering agents from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) are at your door. These agents investigate allegations of child abuse, which can lead to serious consequences anytime they make contact.
Before talking to DCF investigators in New Canaan, you need to know your rights. You can speak with a dedicated attorney before you agree to give a statement or sign releases. At the Law Offices of Mark Sherman, we can help protect your rights when dealing with DCF.
Before you meet with DCF investigators in New Canaan, you need to know your legal rights. First and foremost, you are never obligated to cooperate with an investigation. These agents are not law enforcement officers, and you are not under oath.
You have no legal obligation to answer their questions or provide them with access to your child or your child’s medical records. Investigators are limited in what they can accomplish without the permission of a parent or guardian.
In New Canaan, you never have to speak with DCF investigators or cooperate with them in any way. That said, there are times when cooperating can benefit you. Any time you refuse to answer questions from an investigator, the situation may potentially worsen.
DCF agents may interpret your refusal to cooperate as a sign of guilt. If they have limited evidence available to them to show that you have done nothing wrong, they may feel like they have no choice but to substantiate allegations of abuse or neglect against you. Cooperating and offering evidence that contradicts their suspicions of abuse or neglect can help avoid any substantiation findings.
Keep in mind that cooperation does not necessarily mean agreeing to every request or demand the investigators have. You have the right to speak to an attorney. Your legal counsel can negotiate with these agents to simplify the process.
Another important consideration is your right to speak to an attorney throughout this process. You can ask the investigators to give you time to arrange for counsel before answering their questions. Typically, DCF investigators will agree to wait for a day or two while you plan with a New Canaan attorney before speaking to them.
Every investigation is unique, but DCF agents will focus their questions on the specific allegations made against you. Their questions may address any past acts of violence or visible signs of injury if the allegations relate to physical abuse. In cases of neglect, their questions may concern anything from medical histories to school attendance.
There are limits on the questions investigators can ask, at least initially. DCF agents can expand the scope of their investigations if your answers warrant follow-up questions. For example, a case focused on physical abuse can expand to include neglect if the agents discover signs of malnourishment while speaking to the child. Before communicating with New Canaan DCF investigators, you must understand what they may ask.
If you have been accused of abuse or neglect, talking to DCF investigators in New Canaan can hurt your case more than help it. However, there are times when your best course of action is to cooperate.
At the Law Offices of Mark Sherman, we can help you determine your best options. Before you consider handling your case alone, learn how we can help you by reviewing our more than 300 certified five-star reviews from past clients.
