Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was anonymously reported to Child Protective Services last Friday, leading to a 24-hour separation from his children. Although CPS and Michigan Police quickly determined the report was unsubstantiated, Buttigieg shared the psychological damage of the experience. Similarly, writer Heather Osterman-Davis recounts her own ordeal with an anonymous CPS report in June 2020, when a woman from Children's Protective Services knocked on her door alleging medical neglect of her son.
The Allegation and Investigation
The claim stated that Osterman-Davis and her husband had refused to follow up with a cardiologist after being informed their son had an irregular heartbeat in January. Despite providing medical records showing no heart issue, the CPS case manager explained that a complaint required a full investigation. The worker inspected the home and interviewed the couple's 8-year-old and 6-year-old children. The reporter remained anonymous.
The Flawed System of Anonymous Reporting
Anonymous reporting allows individuals who are not mandated reporters to submit suspicions without identifying themselves. Calls are "screened in" if allegations meet the legal definition of abuse or neglect. However, national statistics show that 96% of anonymous calls are unsubstantiated, with only 1.5% of all CPS reports being both anonymous and substantiated. In New York City, only 6.7% of anonymous cases were substantiated in 2023, compared to 22.5% of all cases. A New Jersey study found just 0.8% of anonymous reports were substantiated.
Weaponization of Anonymous Reports
Anonymous reporting is often weaponized. A mother in Brooklyn sued CPS after being repeatedly reported. Activist Shaun King was also targeted. Buttigieg noted in his Substack that the report came after sharing Father's Day photos, suggesting bias against LGBTQ+ families. Osterman-Davis discovered that at least 11 other families from her children's school had been reported, with allegations ranging from medical neglect to murder and cannibalism.
Systemic Racism and Impact
Over 50% of Black children will receive a CPS visit during their lifetime, and nearly 10% will be removed from their families, double the rate for white children. Osterman-Davis, living in an affluent, predominantly white neighborhood, acknowledged her privilege but still endured two months of investigation before her case was deemed unfounded. The record will remain sealed for 10 years.
The psychological toll was intense. After her daughter fell down stairs, Osterman-Davis hesitated to seek emergency care for fear of triggering another CPS call. She writes, "We never should have been put through the ringer like that."
Reform Efforts
Three states have banned anonymous reporting: Texas and California in 2023, and New York in 2024. These states now require callers to provide contact information, which is kept confidential from the accused. Osterman-Davis argues that while banning anonymous reporting is a small step, it is critical for reform. She and other affected families filed complaints with the district attorney's office, but due to COVID backlogs, no action was taken.
Heather Osterman-Davis is a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Slate, The Washington Post, and other outlets.
