The Kronzek Firm “Osteogenesis imperfecta” (“OI”) sounds almost as bad as it is. A troubling disease is behind this long name. It is often referred to as “brittle bone disease” and it can affect kids in many different ways.  There are almost 20 different kinds of “brittle bone disease”. This disease plagues nearly 1 in every 10,000 people. The state of Michigan has over 10 million people. With that many residents, thousands of Michiganders could be affected with this OI or brittle bone disease.  CPS thinks I abused my child Toddlers with “brittle bone disease” might break a leg or c ..read more

A couple of House bills signed into law recently here in Michigan hope to increase transparency and accountability by the Office of Children’s Ombudsman. The idea behind the bills came from Representative Matt Hall, who believes that the needed transparency for investigations into the state’s child welfare system was missing. And so he decided to address the issue by proposing changes to Michigan law that would require the Office of Children’s Ombudsman to release redacted reports of investigations into alleged child abuse or neglect.  What is the Office of Child’s Ombudsman? The Office o ..read more

Michigan law aims to further protect victims of child abuse or child neglect by adding physical and occupational therapists and athletic trainers as mandatory reporters. This is one of many steps taken in recent years to expand the growing list of those who are designated as mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse under Michigan’s Child Protection Law.  What Are Mandatory Reporters Legally Obligated To Do? In Michigan, mandatory reporters must immediately report any reasonably suspected child abuse or child neglect. This report must be made directly to Centralized Intake at Children ..read more

Everything about the Nassar case was staggering. The number of victims affected by the abuse. The number of victim impact statements given at the trial. The number of other people accused of covering up, collaborating, or simply staying silent in the face of Nassar’s crimes. It was unbelievable, and watching the entire saga unfold over the course of several years was unlike any other sexual assault case in history. And because it was so unique, so completely unprecedented, it has led to sweeping national reforms which hope to keep other young athletes from suffering the same tragic abuses in t ..read more

Multiple gymnasts claimed they told their coach about Nassar’s assaults, but she says she has no memory of these reports The fall out from the Nassar case was monumental. Almost everything about that entire timeline was staggering, if not actually record-breaking. The number of victims affected by the abuse. The number of victim impact statements given at the trial. The number of other people accused of covering up, collaborating, or simply remaining mute in the face of Nassar’s crimes. It’s been incredible to watch the entire, terrible process unfold over the course of several years, and so t ..read more

It’s that time of year again – the season of gift giving, magical lights, and time spent with loved ones. Here at The Kronzek Firm we’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday, and a wonderful new year! We also understand that not everyone’s holidays are always merry and bright. With increased reports of child abuse and domestic violence (which the holidays can actually exascerbate!) we know this can be a difficult time for some families. If you need help this holiday season, either to protect your children from CPS over-reach or get out of an unsafe relationship that puts your childre ..read more

Being accused of child abuse is a horrible experience. The police (and sometimes CPS) invade your personal life. Loved ones could be interviewed. Your home might get searched. Your children may be taken away and grilled for answers. Sometimes you get arrested and end up facing criminal charges. Your life gets turned upside down, and it’s traumatic for everyone involved. But for some people – the people who work with children as part of their jobs – the consequences can be even more far-reaching. Teachers, Daycare providers, and many others can lose their jobs! If your job brings you into regu ..read more

One of the things we’ve read a lot about in the news since the early days of the Covid19 pandemic, is the sharp decrease CPS has seen in the number of child abuse reports made to the agency and other hotlines. But is that a real reflection of the facts? Has there really been a decline in the number of children who are being abused and neglected here in Michigan? Or is it just that the people who usually make those calls – teachers, daycare workers and clergy, aren’t seeing children anymore and therefore have nothing to report. Experts say the pandemic numbers aren’t accurate at all According t ..read more

  When a teacher sees a child who doesn’t have a winter coat that fits, or a doctor realizes that a child they’re seeing for a Wellchild check up is clearly hungry, what do they do? In most cases, they call the CPS hotline and report suspected neglect. But is that what they should be doing? Not really. Not if they’re actually hoping to help that child get what they need. Why? Because a child whose hungry as a result of poverty doesn’t need their parents to be investigated by CPS. What they really need is someone to connect their mom or dad with the local food bank. And a child whose fami ..read more

Welcome back and thanks for swinging by to wrap up this discussion about being charged with child abuse in Michigan, and what that looks like. We know it’s a tough subject and not one that any parent or caregiver enjoys, but understanding what you’re up against can go a long way towards providing peace of mind, and helping you make informed choices. As we mentioned in the previous article, “child abuse” charges cover pretty much all crimes against children unless your were driving drunk with a child in your car, or the crime was a sex crime. But now that you uderstand the ‘degrees’ of child ab ..read more