Nova Collins (Spearfish, South Dakota): What Public Records Show About the Former CPS Worker Facing Felony Allegations
A former South Dakota Child Protective Services worker, Nova Collins of Spearfish, is facing four felony charges and one misdemeanor tied to allegations that she falsified investigative reports connected to a child abuse investigation. The case is being handled by South Dakota’s Attorney General through its Public Integrity Program—a detail that signals the state is treating the allegations as more than a routine personnel issue.
Who is Nova Collins?
Based on official state statements and local reporting, Nova Collins is described as:
A Spearfish, South Dakota woman
A former employee of the South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS) working in Child Protective Services (CPS)
The public statements do not provide her job title, length of employment, or the identity of the case(s) involved.
What she’s accused of doing
According to the South Dakota Attorney General, Collins is accused of falsifying investigative reports related to a child abuse investigation while she was employed by DSS/CPS. The Attorney General states the alleged crimes occurred in early 2025.
Because child welfare matters often involve confidential juvenile records, the public record at this stage does not include the underlying investigative details (what was allegedly altered, how it was detected, or whether it affected removal/court outcomes). South Dakota’s court system notes that juvenile cases are confidential and not publicly disclosed.
Charges filed: the official list
The Attorney General’s Office says Collins was indicted on four felonies and one misdemeanor:
Felonies
Forgery (max 5 years)
Offer of forged or fraudulent evidence (max 5 years)
Falsification of evidence (max 2 years)
Offering false or forged instrument for filing/registering/recording (max 2 years)
Misdemeanor
5. Falsification of public records by a public officer or employee (max 1 year in county jail)
These are allegations. Collins is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Timeline: what happened and when
Here’s the cleanest timeline supported by public sources:
Early 2025: Attorney General says the alleged falsifications occurred during this period.
Oct. 15, 2025: A Lawrence County grand jury indicts Collins.
Jan. 6, 2026: Collins is arraigned in Lawrence County Circuit Court; media reports state she was released on a $500 bond.
Feb. 17, 2026: Next scheduled court appearance (per reporting and state release).
The Dakota Scout reports she pleaded not guilty at arraignment.
A Broader Pattern Parents Say They Recognize
While the criminal charges against Nova Collins must be evaluated on their own merits in court, the allegations land in the middle of a longstanding and widely reported concern among parents, attorneys, and child welfare watchdogs: that CPS investigations are uniquely vulnerable to narrative control, evidentiary imbalance, and unchecked discretion.
Across the country—and particularly in child protection systems—parents have consistently reported patterns that mirror the type of conduct alleged in this case, even when those concerns never result in criminal charges.
“The Report Becomes the Case”
In most CPS proceedings, the investigative report is not just evidence—it is the foundation of the entire case.
Unlike criminal trials:
There is no jury
Parents often do not receive full discovery
Hearsay is frequently admitted
Caseworkers’ written narratives are often treated as presumptively credible
That means a CPS worker’s documentation—how interviews are summarized, what facts are emphasized or omitted, how risk is framed—can determine outcomes before a parent ever has meaningful representation.
Parents and family-law attorneys have repeatedly raised concerns that:
Statements are paraphrased inaccurately
Context is removed or compressed
Exculpatory details are omitted
Timelines are altered or simplified in ways that change meaning
Allegations are stated as facts rather than claims
When a CPS report is wrong, incomplete, or misleading, the system rarely corrects itself quickly—if at all.
Enormous Power, Minimal Oversight
CPS workers wield extraordinary authority:
They can recommend emergency removals
Trigger protective custody
Influence juvenile court findings
Shape reunification plans
Recommend termination of parental rights
Yet in many jurisdictions:
CPS workers are not required to be licensed investigators
Internal review mechanisms are opaque
Complaints are handled within the same agency
Families have little recourse until damage is already done
This imbalance is why allegations of falsified or manipulated documentation—when they surface—are taken so seriously by public integrity units. It is also why many parents say they feel powerless to challenge inaccurate records once they are filed.
“No Fair Trial” in the Traditional Sense
Juvenile dependency proceedings are civil, not criminal—but the consequences can be more severe than many criminal penalties.
Parents routinely report that:
Hearings are brief and procedural
Judges rely heavily on CPS recommendations
Parents are discouraged from contesting early findings
Temporary orders quietly become permanent realities
In many cases, the first hearing occurs within days of removal, when parents are in shock, under extreme stress, and often unrepresented or minimally advised.
The result is a system where:
Early allegations harden into assumptions
Burden shifts subtly onto parents to “prove innocence”
CPS narratives become institutional memory
How Parents Say Rights Get Signed Away
Another recurring concern involves voluntary safety plans, service agreements, and stipulations presented to parents as routine or mandatory.
Parents frequently report being told:
“Sign this or your child stays in foster care longer”
“This isn’t an admission—it’s just paperwork”
“Everyone signs this”
“We can revisit it later”
In reality:
These documents can waive rights
Lock parents into admissions they never intended
Establish compliance benchmarks that are difficult to escape
Be used later to justify continued state involvement
Many parents later say they did not understand what they were signing, only realizing the consequences once attorneys became involved—often weeks or months later.
Why Documentation Integrity Matters So Much
Because CPS cases rely so heavily on written reports, documentation integrity is everything.
If evidence is:
Altered
Selectively reported
Framed misleadingly
Or filed inaccurately
Then courts, attorneys, and parents are all operating from a distorted record.
That is why allegations involving falsification of evidence, forged documents, or false filings—such as those brought in the Nova Collins case—carry implications that extend far beyond a single defendant. They strike at public trust in the child protection process itself.
The Chilling Effect on Families
For parents watching this case, the reaction is often not surprise—but recognition.
Many say:
“This is what I’ve been saying happened to me”
“The report didn’t match reality”
“Key facts disappeared”
“I couldn’t prove it”
Yet without whistleblowers, audits, or criminal investigations, most families never get validation, even when records are flawed.
Cases like this raise uncomfortable but necessary questions:
How many inaccurate reports are never caught?
How often are errors labeled “professional judgment”?
What safeguards exist to protect families from bad documentation?
Why Accountability Is Rare—and Why This Case Is Unusual
Criminal charges against CPS workers are exceptionally rare, not because misconduct never occurs, but because:
Internal discipline is favored over public action
Families lack standing to investigate
Errors are shielded by confidentiality
Proving intent is difficult
That is why the Attorney General’s emphasis on public integrity and mandatory reporting is significant. It suggests an acknowledgment—at least in this instance—that internal handling is not always sufficient when public trust is at stake.
A System That Demands Scrutiny
None of this determines the outcome of Nova Collins’ case. That will be decided in court.
But the broader issue remains:
When a system holds the power to separate families, transparency and accountability are not optional—they are essential.
For thousands of parents navigating CPS involvement, the allegations in this case echo a fear they know well:
That once a narrative is written, the truth becomes very hard to recover.
Editorial note
This report is not asserting guilt. It is summarizing what the South Dakota Attorney General and multiple media outlets have publicly reported:
Collins is charged,
she is presumed innocent,
and further specifics should be confirmed through court records as they become available.
Sources
SD Attorney General press release (indictment – Oct. 15, 2025)
SD state news release (arraignment – Jan. 6, 2026)
Dakota News Now (Jan. 6, 2026)
SDPB (Jan. 6, 2026)
KOTA TV (Oct. 15, 2025)
South Dakota Unified Judicial System – Cases & Records
