Woman Investigated For Allowing Her 8-Year-Old To Walk Dog Alone
by Holly MatkinCorey Widen received a visit from police and CFS after her daughter was seen walking their dog alone.
Wilmette, IL – Police responded to investigate after a neighbor called the cops on a mother who allowed her eight-year-old daughter to walk their dog unsupervised.
Corey Widen, 48, became the subject of an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (CFS) investigation after her daughter, Dorothy Widen, was seen walking the family’s Maltese, Marshmallow, around the block on Aug. 2, Good Morning America reported.
An anonymous caller contacted police, and said that the child was alone and appeared to be under five years old, Widen said.
Soon, officers were at her front door.
“I said, ‘Did I do something wrong?’” Widen recounted to Good Morning America.
The officer explained that they had received a call that Dorothy was less than five years old, but quickly learned that information was false.
Widen said she was shocked, fearful, and angry when she discovered someone had called the police regarding the situation.
“We live in a beautiful neighborhood,” she told Good Morning America. “We’re very fortunate… It’s safe, it’s clean… We stretch and we sacrifice to be there, but that’s why. Because it’s safe.”
Widen said that she gave Dorothy the opportunity to walk Marshmallow on her own in order to help give her “more independence,” and that the appropriateness of giving children freedoms varies depending on the parents, the child, and the area.
Following a CFS investigation, the neglect allegations were determined to be “unfounded,” Widen said.
Although she was cleared of any wrongdoing, Widen described the investigation as “invasive” and “traumatizing” for her family.
“The initial call was for an unattended five-year-old, and once they knew didn’t even have a five-year-old, it should have stopped there,” she said.
She added that such “nuisance” calls overwhelm an already overworked CFS system, and prevent children who really need help from receiving it.
“We did what the people of Illinois ask us to do,” CFS said in a statement to Good Morning America. “We investigated, we found no wrongdoing on the part of this mother, and we closed the case last week.”
11 Responses
K9ndn
Aug 30, 2018 I would’ve with my K9 Kratos. My 11 year old is the master I’m just the handler lol.
sbk93036
Aug 28, 2018 Letting an eight year old out of your sight? Not smart in this day and age.
satmantoo
Aug 28, 2018 It’s a good thing this woman was White otherwise we’d have protests, burning, looting! It would be on the news nightly for months! Where’s Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson??
15243
Aug 28, 2018 Typical invasion of privacy by the overy regulated soviet of Illinois.
RIDGERUNNER
Aug 28, 2018 In today's society we have snoops everywhere. Some people like nothing more than to have an excuse to call the police on someone. I remember in school history class reading how Hitler turned neighbors into enemies by having them snooping on their neighbors. Then again, we have to watch out for each other and especially our most vulnerable such as children. BUT.. pick your battles wisely. Know what you are talking about before you do something to shatter the lives of others. It sound more like this woman is a neighborhood busybody. According to the picture above, that child looks nowhere close to being 5 years old.
FRANCIN
Aug 28, 2018 NOW A DAY'S .. NOTHING WRONG WITH KEEPING PEOPLE ON THEIR TOES...KEEPING SAFE.
johnnycab23513
Aug 28, 2018 Another neighborhood dictator. Most neighborhood have that person who has no life of their own, so they attempt to make everyone else as miserable as they are.
Sailor
Aug 28, 2018 She should lawyer-up and make others involved in causing this situation stress a little.