Mom Confronts Son After His School Called DCF Because He Claimed He Was Being ‘Abused’ By Having His PlayStation Taken Away
Years later, they're able to laugh about it.
Hryshchyshen Serhii / Shutterstock Making a report to the Department of Children and Families is a serious matter and accusing someone of abuse is not something to be taken lightly. Unfortunately, children don’t always understand this. One family had to learn this lesson the hard way.
After a boy said his mom was abusing him by taking away his PlayStation, his school called DCF.
Caleb Hearon is a comedian and host of the podcast "So True." In honor of Mother's Day, he shared an episode that he filmed with his mother, Kellie Hearon.
During the podcast, the pair discussed Caleb's childhood antics, including the time that he almost got Kellie into trouble with authorities by claiming she was abusive — all because she took away his PlayStation.
“So, I took the PlayStation away for a week, and they went to school and had the school counselor call DFS to say I was abusive,” Kellie explained.
“She took the PlayStation away, and I went to school, and I was like, ‘Hey y’all, my mom is abusing me,’” Caleb confirmed.
What likely started as a simple misunderstanding with a child not grasping the meaning of abuse or the severity of his claims, the situation got taken pretty far.
“They called Division of Family Services and sent someone down to the school," Caleb said. “We had home visits after that,” in which he and his brother were asked if their mother fed them.
Kellie said that her kids told officials she didn’t feed them “all the time” because they wanted to eat McDonald’s more frequently.
Caleb then shared the specific moment when he realized he made a major mistake. “They came and put us in a conference room, and some therapist from the state came and was like, ‘If your mom hits you, you can tell us,’” he recounted. “And I, at that moment, [realized] that I [messed] up.”
Although Caleb and his mother can laugh about what happened to them now, child abuse is a serious issue.
There’s a reason Caleb's claims of abuse were taken so seriously. Partners in Prevention states, “Every year, more than three million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving more than six million children; a report can include multiple children.”
With child abuse statistics this high, it’s no wonder that Caleb's family was investigated closely. Each report must be thoroughly vetted to ensure children are safe. This means that false reports take up precious time and resources that should be devoted to people who actually need them.
While claiming abuse over having your PlayStation taken away may seem humorous, facts like these serve as a sobering reminder as to why institutions like DCF are so important.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of child abuse, there are resources available to help. Call 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) to speak with a crisis counselor 24/7.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.