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Child abuse claim may affect a father’s rights

On Behalf of | Jun 8, 2015 | Paternity

Fathers’ rights are important for many men, as these rights affect the relationship men have with their children. Once paternity is determined, the child’s father is able to pursue custody. While many men find themselves in heated disputes in which they are fighting for custody of their child with the mother, they can also find themselves in a similar dispute with the courts.

In Michigan, one man recently found himself in the midst of a case that could have caused him to lose paternal rights of his 2-month-old daughter. This particular case involved a claim of child abuse made after the infant may have sustained several injuries after a fall. The father stated that his daughter slipped from his lap and he grabbed her by her face in an effort to keep the baby from hitting the floor.

Doctors later found that the baby was bleeding between her brain and skull and that there were retinal hemorrhages. The parents said that the injuries were due to illness and trauma during the child’s birth, but the prosecutor believed it to be caused by child abuse. The mother of the child has been granted custody of the child after being cleared of the claims, but the father has been sentenced to one year in jail. The courts were planning to terminate his parental rights, but have since changed their minds.

While this case was outside of Texas, cases of child abuse are not taken lightly and in many instances may result in the parent losing parental rights. If this incident were in fact an accident, this case is a good example of how serious this matter is to some states. This can happen in any state, so it is important for parents to care for their children properly and ensure they are safe at all times.

Source: WXYZ Detroit, “Prosecutors won’t seek to terminate father’s parental rights in controversial Baby Naomi abuse case,” Heather Catallo, May 24, 2015

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