The private investigator and child custody
The private investigator and child custody
The recent COVID-19 pandemic locked down caused many families to isolate for several months during 2020. As a result, families were forced to be together for very long periods of time, far longer than they had been used to before the pandemic. So, as these families were forced to be together for extended periods of time, some became closer by playing games, and getting creative with home projects. Many also used the opportunity to bond with their families more and share the love they had for each other.
Some families however, didn’t grow closer. Some families came to resent the fact that they were “trapped” in the same house with their husbands, wives and children. Many divorces were a result of the lockdown and during the lockdown reports of child abuse skyrocketed. Husbands and wives saw a side of each other that they were unaware of. As many of these couples decided on divorce a real concern arose about the treatment of their children. Then, they became aware of the role a private investigator plays in a child custody case.
A private investigator can gather evidence of abuse in a child custody case in the following ways:
- Surveillance of the parent – watching and documenting using video is a great way to prove what someone is doing and nowhere is this more true than in child custody investigations. Video proof of neglect of the children or slapping or beating the kids is devastating proof of the abusive parent in a child custody investigation.
- Surveillance of the children – if the parent who has custody is leaving the children alone for extended periods of time, this can be viewed as neglect of the children. Without a private investigator documenting this time period there’s no other way to prove what’s happening (unless you have another witness who can provide an affidavit).
- Surveillance of third parties – maybe the custodial parent is bringing the children around unsavory characters or into bars or nightclubs that aren’t suitable for children. Documenting the time the children spend in the company of these strangers is important when a private investigator is working on a child custody case to prove the strangers are spending time with the children.
- Background Checks – a private investigator can conduct thorough background checks on these strangers to determine their criminal history. A parent may not like someone with a criminal history spending time with their children. Hiring a private investigator to work on the child custody case will help document these backgrounds.
- Trash retrieval – while not the nicest job in the world, retrieving trash is something that private investigators and child custody investigation personnel do frequently. Evidence of alcohol abuse, drug use, and unhealthy food consumption can all be determined by looking through the trash. It’s a dirty job, but private investigators do it to develop evidence for their child custody investigations.
So, as you can see, the private investigator plays a big role in child custody cases.