A Scioto County foster parent did exactly what you’d hope someone would do when a stranger showed up at her door claiming to be from Children Services and saying she was there to pick up the children.
She didn’t let her in.
Instead, the foster parent told the woman she could wait outside while she called the children’s actual case manager.
According to the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office log, the woman claimed she was with Jackson County Children Services and said she had received an email involving the children and had come to take them.
The foster parent told deputies she had no idea who the woman was.
When she began calling Children Services to verify the story, the woman left.
The suspicious visitor was described as a woman about 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-7 with brownish-blonde hair, wearing a white button-down shirt and black pants. She reportedly left in a gray four-door car, possibly a Honda, heading toward Minford.
Deputies then contacted Jackson County Children Services as part of the investigation.
How Do You Know a CPS Worker Is Real?
A real child-protection worker showing up unexpectedly can be alarming even when everything is legitimate. But when someone claims they are there to remove a child, foster parents and caregivers should verify who they are before handing anyone over.
Ask to see official agency identification and get the worker’s full name, agency, supervisor, and reason for the visit.
Then verify it yourself.
Call the county Children Services agency using a phone number you already have or one you independently look up. Don’t simply call a number supplied by the stranger at the door.
If you already have an assigned caseworker, call that person directly.
And if someone says they are there to remove a child, ask what authority they are acting under.
In Ohio, removing a child from a home generally involves a juvenile court order, an emergency court order, or emergency circumstances serious enough that law enforcement or an authorized court officer can intervene immediately. Ohio rules specifically provide for court involvement or law-enforcement assistance when emergency removal is necessary. Ohio Laws
That doesn’t mean every legitimate worker will arrive with a stack of paperwork in hand, especially in an emergency. But it does mean a caregiver is right to stop and verify when an unfamiliar person unexpectedly says, “I’m here to take the kids.”
Red Flags Worth Taking Seriously
A supposed worker who refuses to show identification, becomes angry when you try to verify their identity, pressures you to act immediately without explanation, or leaves the moment you call the actual agency deserves extra scrutiny.
And if you believe someone is impersonating a child-protection worker, call law enforcement.
That is especially important because foster homes can contain children whose locations and identities are intentionally kept private for safety reasons.
In this case, the foster parent didn’t argue at the door or take chances.
She kept the stranger outside, called the real case manager, and the woman left.
Deputies are now looking into exactly who showed up — and why.
