Fighting Back in Ohio: One Parent’s Stand Against a Corrupt CPS and Family Court Intimidation

Ohio family courts and a supposed corrupt Child Protective Services (CPS) are under growing scrutiny—and for good reason. Across the state, parents are stepping forward to reveal how reunification promises are made, only to be quietly dismantled behind closed doors. This is the story of one parent’s courageous stand in an Ohio courtroom, and it’s a powerful example of what happens when a flawed system meets fierce determination.

“Why Is There a Case Plan If Reunification Was Never the Goal?”

In May 2024, this Ohio parent began the journey that thousands across the nation know all too well: a battle for their children against an overpowering, unaccountable system.

Months of compliance. Endless hoops to jump through. Supervised visits, parenting classes, counseling sessions—all completed in good faith. And yet, the path to reunification seemed to only grow colder.

But this time, something changed.

“Today, I walked into court with one mission: to strip away the intimidation—whether from CPS, the prosecutor, the family court, or even my own daughter.”

In the courthouse waiting room, the parent noticed the caseworker whispering to the daughter—only to go quiet when the parent walked in. That familiar sense of being excluded from their own child’s narrative was back.

But this time, silence wasn’t accepted.

“Why is there a case plan? Why was I told reunification was the goal when clearly it never was?”

The answer? A vague dodge: “We have to consider what the children want.”

But how can a child want what they’ve been conditioned to fear? How can a child bond with a parent they’re rarely allowed to see?

“You mean the children you alienated from me? The children you kept me from seeing and building a healthy relationship with?”

That’s the question at the heart of many CPS cases across the country—and especially in Ohio, where parents are speaking out against what they believe are broken promises and deceptive case practices.

The Deeper Problem: When Reunification Is Never the Real Goal

This isn’t just one parent’s story.

In state after state—Ohio included—parents report being told that the goal is reunification, only to find:

• Children are placed in foster homes and not told their parents are fighting for them.

• Caseworkers build biased reports, often without direct observation.

• Parents are cut off from meaningful visits or blocked from sharing their side of the story with their children.

• False narratives are cemented through silence, alienation, and administrative convenience.

And the kicker? There are financial incentives to keep cases open.

Why This Happens: CPS Funding and Systemic Incentives

Under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, states receive federal funding for every child placed into foster care. The longer a child stays in care, the more services can be billed—counseling, supervision, medical care, foster placement fees, court evaluations.

Reunification?
That brings the funding to an end.

Ongoing “case plans” with no end in sight?
That’s money in the system’s pocket.

And all of it operates under the banner of “the best interest of the child”—a phrase that’s often used to justify family separation without real oversight.

Studies have shown that:

• Children are 4 times more likely to be abused in foster care than in their own biological homes.

• Kids removed from their families face higher rates of depression, suicide, homelessness, and incarceration.

• Many children grow up believing they were abandoned, when in fact their parents were fighting tooth and nail to get them back.

A Movement of Parents Rising in Ohio

The parent who shared this story is not alone—and they’re not staying silent.

They’ve reached out to Ohio State Representative Dontavius Jarrells, who has been actively working on CPS and family court reform. And they’re urging every Ohio parent to send in their stories and join the movement for change.

Final Thoughts: The System Is Broken. But Truth Still Has Power.

“Today I walked into that courtroom determined to be heard. And I was.”

This story is proof that courage is contagious.

Thanks to support from the Family Court Fraud Warrior Project and others like it, more parents are pushing back, holding CPS accountable, and shining a light on the truth.

If you're in Ohio—or anywhere in the U.S.—and you've experienced the crushing injustice of CPS or family court, you are not alone.

Share your story. Stand your ground. Let the light pass through.