Mom's Facebook Posts show "Lack of Insight" - Father granted full custody (NY)

[tuffbrk]

Mom's Facebook Posts show "Lack of Insight" - Father granted full custody (NY)

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY

You really have to wonder about people!

New York Law Journal
February 19, 2013

A mother who swore and yelled at her 10-year-old son and called him an "*******" on Facebook, saying it was important that her Facebook friends knew the truth, demonstrated a "lack of insight," a New York appellate court held in awarding a father sole custody. "[T]here was sufficient evidence regarding the mother's inappropriate use of the Internet to demean and disparage the oldest child, as well as her lack of remorse or insight into the inappropriateness of such behavior, so as to justify the court's issuance of the order of protection," the panel said in Melody M. v. Robert M., a visitation and custody dispute.

 

[Antigone*]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY

You really have to wonder about people!

New York Law Journal
February 19, 2013

A mother who swore and yelled at her 10-year-old son and called him an "*******" on Facebook, saying it was important that her Facebook friends knew the truth, demonstrated a "lack of insight," a New York appellate court held in awarding a father sole custody. "[T]here was sufficient evidence regarding the mother's inappropriate use of the Internet to demean and disparage the oldest child, as well as her lack of remorse or insight into the inappropriateness of such behavior, so as to justify the court's issuance of the order of protection," the panel said in Melody M. v. Robert M., a visitation and custody dispute.

I'd like to shake the judge's hand.

 

[You Are Guilty]

The article doesn't mention a lot of details, but a few that stand out are "child suffers from mental health issues" and is in counseling. Mom does not participate because she does not like the counselor, uses physical force to restrain the child and tends to yell and disparage the boy. Add in her lack of remorse or "insight into the inappropriateness", and, well, there ya go.



As an unrelated side note, that article is right above one where a plaintiff-tenant in the witness protection program is suing her landlord, and is now compelled to testify about the program because of the lawsuit. Whoops.

 

[tuffbrk]

The complete lack of thought prior to FB postings has come back to "haunt" quite a few people. Anywhere from affairs, to creditors finding a party in hiding, to employers. Parents posting about their kids though?! Last week I saw a posting that included a picture of a parent who had their child standing at the entrance to a food store parking lot, holding a sign that said I am a bully. The comments were nothing more than an argument of whether this was appropriate parenting. Meanwhile, the parent was standing near the child in the picture so presumably a complete stranger snapped the picture and posted it.

Parents choosing to publicly humiliate their children have always been at risk for being reported to CPS/DYFS agencies (as is appropriate). But to publicize it on FB?! Or have someone else publicly air it on FB or any social media? In a way, I'm glad because parent A now has a record that can be traced to parent B and it eliminates the he said/she said and need for witnesses, etc. On the other hand? The child. The poor child. Not only do they have to endure humiliation at the hands of a parent but it's been publicized everywhere. I can't imagine the comments passed at school, scouting, practices, etc. The thought that Parent A and B may be married or in complete agreement about using humiliation as a means of discipline makes me shudder. I certainly hope that any such postings that the police come across in their pedophile/scam types of detecting are promptly reported to the appropriate agency!

 

[single317dad]

Facebook is just the modern day water cooler, sewing circle, and boys' night out. Yes, everything travels much faster, but it's the same silly gossip that Loweezy got at the fencepost. What was illegal before should be illegal on Facebook, and what was just plain silly before hasn't changed due to the medium.

 

[breezymom]

I finally took him off FB, but heck, my ex would post everything you can imagine on his...publicly defaming CPS, daycare centers, both his children's mothers, and, yes...even our GAL and my lawyer and her firm. People sure are smart. Things can be deleted, however, they can also be saved, printed, and actually, I believe, even recovered by FB administrators, if ordered.