At DeWitt Detective Agency in San Francisco, we understand that our kids are the most important things in our lives. When you believe that someone else is mistreating your child, what options do you have? Besides the desire to take matters into your own hands (usually a bad idea) you are left with the legal system. Unfortunately, the legal system can be slow and unresponsive to many. Law enforcement are understaffed and overworked, and the courts are stuffed full of cases. No one is hearing your pleas, and your child’s welfare is at stake. What can you do?
Hiring the right local attorney and private investigation agency can be a good start. While a lawyer will be able to bring emergency motions such as Restraining Orders and modifications of current custody rulings, court filings by themselves are often useless. What can help tremendously is having evidence attached to those filings.
Courts hear “he said, she said” matters ALL THE TIME. Most judges are sick of having to try and weed through legal filings to find the truth. We can provide you with the irrefutable evidence that no judicial officer can ignore. Video evidence with accompanying testimony or sworn statements by a professional and respected private investigator can go a long way towards providing the evidence necessary to win your case and protect your child.
When we conduct a child welfare or custody investigation, our investigator will usually perform a background investigation and surveillance. Often, the information gathered in the background and surveillance phases is then supplemented by witness interviews and statements. We will target our investigation to meet the needs of the client and/or the client’s attorney. We document unsafe activities on the part of the subject of the investigation, and prepare those findings for possible future use in a court of law.
What is Child Welfare / Custody Surveillance?
A child welfare surveillance is the act of monitoring a child during visits with the other parent to ensure the child’s safety. This can include things like driving with the child out of a car seat, drug or alcohol use by the parent, putting the child into unhealthy or unsafe situations, and even a parent’s association with unsafe or unhealthy people during a visitation.
A child welfare investigation can also involve taking note of any verbal or physical abuse, disparaging remarks about the other parent or other inappropriate discussions with, or within earshot of the child. Additionally, it is important to document if a parent has been driving with their child in the car after drinking alcohol at a bar or restaurant. This type of surveillance helps protect the child, and ensure their safety. It can also provide evidence in the event of a custody dispute or other legal proceedings.
A child welfare or custody surveillance is an important part of child protection, as it helps to maintain the welfare and safety of children who are in potentially dangerous situations. It allows concerned parties (such as family members, child welfare professionals, or courts) to monitor the child’s safety during visits with the other parent. It is frequently a necessary tool in family law cases and can help protect children from abuse, neglect, or any other inappropriate behavior that might occur while with a parent or other relative.
In California, we can’t audio record the conversations of the Subject or other parties without consent, so all evidence is documented on video, with first person professional accounts of any conversations overheard by our investigator. The details of the conversation are noted contemporaneously and can be testified to in court.
we have had the privilege of playing a part in protecting children from unsafe situations in many cases, both domestic and international. Please contact us for a free consultation and case review and let us help you to protect your child.
