By Christine D
I am a retired police officer and a single mother to a now 15-year-old son, adopted at the age of three. He is a vulnerable young boy with complex emotional issues, including trauma, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There is also a possibility he has foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Over two years ago, my world turned upside down when a person I once considered a friend—a serving police officer—used my son’s vulnerabilities to support a false allegation against me. She knew his history of unreliability yet chose to exploit it.
A False Allegation and a Devastating Outcome
This officer, who had developed an unusually close relationship with my son, encouraged his accusation and ensured I was arrested. She knew the bail conditions would prevent me from seeing my child and allowed her to take custody of him.
Despite the seriousness of the allegation, neither the police nor social services conducted a meaningful investigation into my case.
I was eventually convicted of battery, not for the initial charge but a lesser offence, as the judge acknowledged the lack of injuries. Nevertheless, I lost custody of my son. The entire case hinged on the testimony of a child with known vulnerabilities, supported by an individual with a vested interest in the outcome.
•My son’s school failed to provide evidence that could have demonstrated his history of unreliable statements.
•My son’s lack of injuries directly contradicted his claims, but that didn’t seem to matter.
A Pattern of Alienation
Since my arrest, I have not seen my son. The local authority and the officer took control of him and systematically alienated me, using her influence to isolate me from professionals and decision-makers. Their actions sent a clear and subliminal message that I was unfit to parent. Examples of these tactics included:
•Misleading Assessments: Professionals claimed they could not assess me with my child, then used this to imply I was a poor parent.
•Exclusion from Updates and Meetings: Key decisions were made about my son without my involvement.
•Ignoring Parental Alienation: The obvious custody conflict between the foster carer (the officer) and me was ignored, despite evidence of deliberate alienation.
•Blocked Communication: My email address was blocked without warning, cutting off my only means of writing to my son.
•Lack of Meaningful Involvement: I was denied any real opportunity to participate in decisions about my son’s welfare.
A Financial Conflict of Interest
Eighteen months before the allegation, the officer borrowed a substantial sum of money from me. She is now fostering my son, receiving payment from the local authority while failing to promote contact between us—a fundamental requirement of fostering. It feels as though she is using my son to pay off her debt to me.
Seeking Justice in a Broken System
I filed a detailed criminal complaint against the officer, providing evidence of her misconduct. Despite this, the police appear eager to dismiss the case without further action.
Worse still, just as they prepared to close my complaint, the officer accused me of harassment, claiming my attempts to highlight her actions were malicious. I was arrested again, with new bail conditions imposed to silence my complaints and prevent me from seeking justice.
A Mother’s Plea
My son deserved better. He deserved a system that could see past manipulation and prioritise his best interests. Instead, he has been caught in a web of deceit and injustice, and I have been rendered powerless to protect him.
I do not blame my son. I blame the professionals who accepted a narrative without question, failed to investigate, and allowed bias to dictate decisions.
My fight for justice continues—not just for me, but for my son and for all families who have been failed by a system designed to protect them.