Queens mother sues New York City over removal of baby without court order

"There's really nothing scarier for a parent than having the government come to your door, forcibly take your kid from you, not be sure where they're going, not be sure when you're going to see them again. That level of trauma being inflicted on families, I think, needs to be taken incredibly seriously."

"Emergency removals, which happen without a court order, are meant to be a last resort when caseworkers fear a child faces imminent danger. But city data shows these types of removals occur on a regular basis - accounting for about half of abuse and neglect removals each year."

"Trainor's lawsuit argues ACS is exploiting the emergency removal system. It claims the agency is pressuring caseworkers to remove children when there isn't actually an emergency to protect its reputation."

Meredith Trainor filed a federal lawsuit challenging the removal of her 11-month-old daughter by New York City's Administration for Children's Services without a court order. Emergency removals, intended as last-resort measures when children face imminent danger, occur regularly—comprising about half of annual abuse and neglect removals. City data indicates ACS separates over 1,300 children from parents yearly without court authorization. Trainor's lawsuit alleges ACS exploits the emergency removal system and pressures caseworkers to remove children unnecessarily to protect agency reputation. The case highlights concerns about constitutional violations and trauma inflicted on families through forcible child separations without judicial oversight.

Read at Gothamist