Family Preservation Foundation TV Interviews

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- We are following up tonight on that lawsuit filed by a group of parents at the state capitol this week who say Minnesota child protection services is doing more harm than good in some cases.

The lawsuit is being led by a Dwight Mitchell, the founder of Family Preservation Foundation, who says the laws are unconstitutionally. He alleges that unconstitutionally vague and overbroad child protection laws allowed Minnesota child protective services and Dakota county social services to take his kids away from him based solely on allegations and social worker discretion.

(KMSP) - A new federal lawsuit targets Minnesota's Child Protection Services and child protection laws.

The suit alleges that CPS triggers unnecessary investigations and puts children at risk of being removed from their home based only on allegations. Dwight Mitchell said two CPS psychologists said he was fit to parent and that CPS was ordered by several judges to reunify him with his 11-year-old son.

But instead, CPS tried to terminate his parental rights all together. CPS eventually dismissed the case and returned his son to him.

Mitchell has started a nonprofit called Family Preservation Foundation and the parental rights group “Stop CPS from Legally Kidnapping Children.” While his case focuses on the actions of Dakota County CPS, it’s happening in many counties - in part because state laws allow them to.

“If we have vague and ambiguous statutes that authorize child protection to seize those kids, single fit parents, then the government ends up raising the child, and we all know the government is horrible at raising children,” attorney Erick Kaardal said.

In the lawsuit, there are many demands, including jury trials for all termination of parental rights proceedings and defense attorneys for people who cannot afford one.

State Senator Andrew Mathews said he will also begin working on legislation to tighten things up here on a local level.

A Minnesota man, Dwight Mitchell who says his three children were once taken from him because of a single bottom spanking is alleging the state's child protection laws are unconstitutionally broad and vague, and are sometimes based only on allegations and social workers' discretion.

Family Preservation Foundation and the parental rights group he leads, "Stop Child Protection Services From Legally Kidnapping", filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court against the state and county agencies charged with enforcing those laws.

Full Press Conference Family Preservation Foundation and the parental rights group "Stop CPS From Legally Kidnapping Children" - Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Filing.

The lawsuit is being led by a Dwight Mitchell, the founder of Family Preservation Foundation, who says the laws are unconstitutionally. He alleges that unconstitutionally vague and overbroad child protection laws allowed Minnesota child protective services and Dakota county social services to take his kids away from him based solely on allegations and social worker discretion.