Danielle Meitiv often lets her two kids, Rafi, 10 and Dvora, 6, play outside without her supervision. They are even allowed to walk home from the neighborhood park without either parent present. Meitiv believes in "free-range" parenting and encouraging independence.
Unfortunately for Meitiv, the Maryland Child Protective Service doesn't approve. The organization recently found Meitiv and her husband, Alexander, responsible for "unsubstantiated child neglect" because they let their kids walk home one mile from the park in December. In a HuffPost Live interview Tuesday, Danielle voiced her outrage at the decision, which has made national headlines.
"We were shocked," the mom told host Nancy Redd. "On some level, I'd hoped they'd just drop it because there is no case here ... It's really kind of shocking to have your life torn apart by a form letter that says you are responsible for neglect."
The December incident was the second time the CPS reprimanded the Meitivs for their parenting style, and now Danielle worries what two marks on their record will mean for the family's future. There is also a possibility the children could be taken away, she said Tuesday.
"That's exactly what concerns us, is this escalation," Danielle said. "It's why we really want this taken off of our record. In fact, we want those records taken out of CPS and shredded, because we never should've been in their system in the first place."
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