“Betrayal Within the Family: My Sister Called CPS on Us, and Now I Don’t Know How to Confront Her”
Trusting each other is the foundation to family bonds but when they are broken that is when the bond becomes unbreakable. A long standing relationship between a woman and her sister suddenly catapults into darkness when a disturbed personal secret devastates her sister’s family. It was a time they looked forward to every Christmas Eve for years—assisting him in setting up toys for the kids, drinking schnapps, and soaking in the joy of the season. But finally, this last Christmas, she called CPS on her sister (32F) behind her back, claiming that CPS needed to come visit our household because there were alcoholics, people with anger issues, and we were starving the children.
The investigation by CPS was frightening enough, but here she was dealing with all her problems, including a seizure disorder that had been brought back to life in her life. The CPS worker said the house was in good condition, full of food and happy children and the claims were quickly dismissed. But the emotional destruction had stayed. The sister sheepishly fessed up to making the call after weeks of dodging the topic—but instead of making amends she launched into a toxic, rambling diatribe explaining why she did the things she did and refusing to apologize. This leaves the woman with a dilemma she cannot solve: How do you deal with the betrayal of your own brother?
A woman called CPS on her sister’s family after witnessing them disciplining their teen
The Reality of False CPS Allegations and Their Consequences
Making a fake CPS report is not only an ethical breach— it comes with legal and emotional consequences. Many states have laws that make it a crime for someone to report child abuse without belief in its occurrence. Penalties range from fines to jail time in extreme cases. Some states, like California, Texas, and Florida, criminalize knowingly making a malicious or fraudulent child protective services report, according to Child Welfare Information Gateway. These laws are designed to prevent the abuse of protective services for children, which should be used to protect children who are genuinely at risk, as opposed to being a tool for resolving grudges.
The Devastating Impact on Families
And though a CPS case can be closed with no findings of abuse, impact on families is high. Parents may experience distress, fear and damage to their reputation, while also being forced to undergo parental competence assessments, and children may experience confusion and distress after being questioned by social workers. According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, being unwarrantedly accused of abuse can damage a parent-child relationship, inflict emotional scars, and possibly incur legal fees for an attorney (Dr.
Here, however, the allegation was so egregious as it came at a time when the woman was also suffering from a major health issue — epilepsy — which made her perception of the intrusion by CPS worst. The lasting effects of undeserved scrutiny leave many families in similar situations emotionally exhausted and utterly cut off from social circles.
Family Betrayal and Mental Health Concerns
Her disturbing actions and behavior, and her complete lack of accountability and understanding of how serious her actions were, would make one question her mental state and possible drug use. Research has found that untreated alcohol addiction or even mental health problems can lead to paranoia where someone might wrongly accuse another of cheating or make rash decisions. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), drinking too much can worsen problems with anger, impair judgment, and cause destructive actions — all of which played out with her aggressive, defensive response to being confronted.
Also, her absolute lack of remorse, the argumentativeness, and the obsession with controlling the narrative are telltale signs that may demonstrate narcissistic or pathological crisis. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), people who have personality disorders and do not get treatment tend to justify their behavior no matter how harmful, shift blame onto others for their actions, and respond with violence or a victim mentality when confronted about their behavior.
Going No Contact: A Difficult but Necessary Step?
Following this betrayal, the woman went ‘no contact’ with her sister. When facing family members who are inherently toxic toward you and you have tried many times to come back together only to face retaliatory and harmful treatment, this is often the best option. Experts advise that it is best to have strong boundaries and prioritize mental health, especially a family member has displayed alarming or manipulative behavior. According to the Psychology Today, literally severing relationships with an immediate family member is soul-crushing, however sometimes its the complete only plan of action to protect you from additional emotional abuse.
For this family, peace is moving forward knowing that hurt will exist but that not all relationships are meant to be saved. It is the hardest choice a parent could make, forcing them to sacrifice the hope of a balanced and loving home in order to keep their children safe and stable, but in a way, the loss of that sibling gets outweighed by the loss of their home.
In the comments, the author wrote more about her sister’s alcohol problem and why she still wants to confront her instead of going NC
Need more tips on dealing with family betrayal or legal steps regarding false reports? Tell me how you would want to grow this!
