Cleared in second neglect case, 'free range' parents plan to sue
For the second time in six months, a suburban Washington, D.C., couple has been cleared of child-neglect charges based on their decision to allow their two children to walk approximately one mile from a park to their Maryland home.
Now the so-called free-range parents, Alexander and Danielle Meitiv, plan to sue Maryland Child Protective Services and Silver Spring police. They are trying to establish the rights of parents like themselves, who believe it is important to allow a six- and 10-year-old some autonomy and encourage self-initiative, to make such decisions without state interference, according to Today and the Washington Post (reg. req.).
In the most recent matter, CPS found that the Meitivs had not neglected their children simply by allowing them to walk home alone.
The earlier case initially resulted in an “unsubstantiated” child-neglect finding that required CPS to maintain an open file on the family for five years, but was dismissed on appeal.
“We were lucky because we had, frankly, resources and privilege on our side, but not everybody is so lucky, so we need to fight to change that,” Danielle Meitiv told Today. “You shouldn’t need privilege or luck to get justice.”
