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You may or may not already have legal protection for your right to homeschool, but what if a social worker knocked on your door and the allegation was not about homeschooling?

10/29/2026

Member Story: CPS came, then the police.

One evening, Eric and Ashley Mackenzie* were getting ready to put their three children to bed when they unexpectedly heard a knock on the door. Eric answered the door, and was shocked at what he heard.

“I’m from the Department of Social Services, and we’ve received a report of neglect of your children.”

The CPS investigator went on to say that the allegations claimed their children were not being properly educated and that they were missing meals.

Eric remembered the instructions that Heritage Defense had given them in their membership packet, so he told the investigator, “One moment while I get my attorney on the phone.”

He stepped back inside and told Ashley, “It’s a social worker.”

Ashley quickly grabbed her phone and, heart pounding, called the Heritage Defense emergency hotline. She explained the situation and was promptly connected with an attorney. Attempting to further familiarize himself with the situation, the attorney asked if they had any idea who might have reported them. Ashley said she suspected her mother-in-law, who had been vocal about disagreements with their family.

When the Heritage Defense attorney got on the phone with the social worker, she told him that she wanted to interview the children and the parents separately. He responded that she could lay eyes on the children, but he was not going to advise the family to agree to any interviews without a local attorney present. At that point, the social worker became angry and called her supervisor, who threatened to call the police to do a wellness check. Following the advice of the Heritage Defense attorney, Eric and Ashley stood firm in denying the interviews.

Once the police arrived, the Heritage Defense attorney informed the officers that the family was not consenting to interviews of their children, but the family would allow them to step inside briefly to see there was plenty of food and that everything looked fine. Afterwards, Eric and Ashley also explained that the other allegations were completely false. Satisfied, the police told the social worker they were done there and they all left.

Eric and Ashley went back inside and sat down as their adrenaline slowly subsided. Still on the phone, the Heritage Defense attorney explained what was going to happen next. He said the next morning he would call and assign an attorney in their area to the case, who would be paid for by Heritage Defense.

The next morning, Heritage Defense called the local attorney and filled him in on the details. The local attorney immediately sent a notice of representation and the applicable rules of representation to the CPS investigator.

For a couple of months, the Mackenzie family tensely waited, yet heard nothing from CPS.

Then, around three months after that nightmarish evening, the Mackenzies received a case-closing letter from CPS.

Eric and Ashley poured out their heartfelt thanks to Heritage Defense for standing by their side the entire way:

“Heritage Defense was a godsend when a DSS worker came to our door with very serious false accusations from a disgruntled family member. [The Heritage Defense attorney] was there for us when we desperately needed his help. While on the phone, he walked us through the entire process with the case worker. A very scary and seriously traumatizing event for our entire family was handled with such professionalism and guidance. Also, the [local] attorney appointed to our case helped us out every step of the way and gave us comfort and affirmation that our situation would be resolved; he prepared us for the worst but with humor. He managed things very well. Without him, we would have been in lots of trouble. Having a fellow Christian attorney stand beside you, praying for you and working on your behalf, is an absolute answer to prayer. I would highly recommend Heritage Defense to any Christian family. You guys are all famous at our church now. We will continue to be members, for sure. Especially in today’s world, where Christianity is more and more hated by the secular world, we look forward to sharing our positive experience with other believers.”

If you are a member of Heritage Defense, we hope it is an encouragement for you to know that your membership is going to help families like the Mackenzie’s. While we cannot guarantee outcomes, if your family is ever falsely accused of child abuse or neglect, we are ready to fight to defend you and your rights.

If you are not yet a member, please join today to have 24/7 access to experienced attorneys ready to defend your family. Click the link in our bio to submit an application and receive free access to our law and policy vault.

*Names changed for privacy

10/21/2026

The following account was written by a Heritage Defense member family we assisted. Included is a portion of video of the confrontation with the CPS investigator while the Heritage Defense attorney was on the phone.

“When my kids were very ill, I took them to see their doctor. We had been recommended to this doctor because they were lenient about vaccines.

We had been there before with no issues. During this visit, I asked them to test my daughter for whooping cough. I believed the test would help me with decisions about treating the illness.

The doctor prescribed an antibiotic for whooping cough and ordered the test. Since it was a holiday weekend, she let me know not to expect the results until Tuesday. She also had us schedule a follow-up appointment for Tuesday morning.
That morning, as we were getting ready to leave for the appointment, I received a call from the Department of Health. They informed me that my daughter had tested positive for whooping cough and that her provider had been advised to prescribe antibiotics for the entire family.

At the appointment, the doctor asked if the antibiotics had helped. I explained that we hadn’t started them yet because we weren’t sure if it was whooping cough or just a bad cold. I told her we would be starting them and asked her to prescribe them for the rest of the family. She refused to prescribe them for the adults, saying her insurance only covered patients up to age 25. We made an appointment with another doctor to get the antibiotics for the whole family. I picked up the prescriptions, and we started the kids on them that night.

The next morning was rough. The kids hadn’t slept well, and everyone was very sick. There was a knock at the door. I saw someone official, unsure if it was the Department of Health or CPS, so I put the chain on the door and opened it a crack. The woman identified herself as being with CPS, and said she was there because of the kids having whooping cough and were not vaccinated. She mentioned medical neglect and asked if I could come outside to discuss it.

I told her I needed her to wait and came inside to call Heritage Defense. I panicked at first, not remembering the number, but then recalled their magnet was on the freezer. I quickly called and had a lawyer on the phone immediately. He walked me through what to do and what I should or shouldn't say.

The CPS worker seemed nervous about dealing with an attorney. She said that usually only their attorneys talk to other attorneys. She was hesitant to give him her contact information and became visibly shaky and uneasy once she realized I had legal counsel on the line.

She began going through a checklist of questions while I had the lawyer on speakerphone. When she started asking about homeschooling, he stepped in and said I didn’t need to answer that. She responded that it would “look better” if she had all the information. He asked if the allegations were related to homeschooling. She became frustrated and said, “The allegations are about vaccines, but it’s fine, I get it, thank you,” then stormed off to her car and left.

We were later assigned a lawyer who was great, communicative, and reassuring. He tried to contact her, but her voicemail said she would be out of the office and back in April, even though this was September. He also emailed her, but received no response. After several failed attempts to reach her, we let it go. She never returned, and we haven’t heard from CPS since.

I believe having a lawyer present scared her off.This entire ordeal was an unnecessary and extremely stressful event for my family, especially during an already difficult time dealing with illness. Heritage Defense was a godsend.

They gave us a sliver of peace during a terrible storm. I now recommend Heritage to all my friends, I don’t know what we would have done without them.”

If you are a member of Heritage Defense, we hope it is an encouragement for you to know that your membership is going to help families like this one. While we cannot guarantee outcomes, if your family is ever falsely accused of child abuse or neglect, we are ready to fight to defend you and your rights.

If you are not yet a member, please join today to have 24/7 access to experienced attorneys ready to defend your family.

*Names changed for privacy

10/16/2026

Member Story: My son accidentally cut his brother’s finger

Mark and Leah Conroe’s two little boys, Owen and Eli, were playing when Owen accidentally cut his younger brother’s finger with a pair of scissors. The cut was severe enough that Mark called EMS, and paramedics came and gave Eli first aid.

Much to Mark and Leah’s surprise, a police officer came as well. He took down the family’s information and looked around their home. Then he told them something that they were not expecting: he was calling CPS.

The officer told Mark and Leah that CPS would be reaching out to them shortly.

Mark immediately called Heritage Defense. Since it was late at night, Mark used the 24/7 emergency hotline and was quickly connected with an attorney. Our attorney advised him to keep the children well dressed and the house presentable, and to call us as soon as CPS made contact.

It did not take long. CPS reached out the next day, wanting to come to Mark and Leah’s home.

Heritage Defense immediately connected the family with a local attorney, who contacted Mark and Leah right away.

The allegations turned out to involve more than Eli’s injury. One of the first responders had also reported that the family’s home was messy. When the CPS investigator showed up wanting to conduct a home visit, Leah immediately called the local attorney. The Conroes wanted to go ahead and let CPS in to resolve things more quickly, so the local attorney advised them how to handle the visit and stayed on the line to monitor that everything went smoothly.

When the CPS investigator finished, she told Mark and Leah she had not seen any evidence that the condition of the home was a problem and that she would be dismissing that allegation.

She also contacted a relative the family had given as a reference.

Afterwards, the case was closed.

Mark and Leah shared their testimony about the case:
“Our local attorney was really helpful in keeping us calm. You hear all these terrible scenarios. It was just really helpful to know that we had somebody in our corner. Whenever we had questions, I was able to call, and he would answer, and we could quickly discuss how to handle the situation. Having that professional support on our side while dealing with CPS, because it is such a nerve-wracking situation, was so helpful. We’re just extremely grateful that we’ve got you guys.”

Mark and Leah never expected an unfortunate accident to bring CPS to their door.

But when it did, they did not have to face it on their own.

Heritage Defense exists to ensure families do not have to navigate moments like these alone.

If you are not already a member, learn how Heritage Defense can help protect your family if someone makes an unfounded CPS report against you, click the link in our bio to learn more.

10/15/2026

Member Story: One day out of the blue…

Thomas and Lori Whitney* recently remodeled their home. Because of some construction debris in their yard awaiting pickup, someone reported them to child protective services (CPS). They wrote this story about their own case:

“One day out of the blue we received a visitor to our residence. We were not home and they left a notice in our mailbox. It was from CPS informing us that there was a complaint against us for allowing our children to play in an environmentally unsafe location. This was due to the debris that was in our front yard due to a burst pipe and a home repair that was ongoing. We had the debris scheduled for pickup multiple times by different companies yet they kept no-showing. This led someone to file a complaint with CPS that we were allowing our children to play in an unsafe environment even though our children knew not to go around the debris area until it was removed.

“We contacted the CPS officer who asked for information about our family. Unfortunately, I had not done what I will do if this ever occurs again and had not yet contacted Heritage Defense.

“We scheduled for her to come out and look at the area and to view the children. I then called Heritage Defense immediately afterwards and was provided a lawyer immediately. He went over my rights and all the things I should do since I had already made contact with the CPS officer.

“On the day of the visit, the CPS officer showed up and viewed the area which had been cleared of the debris with the exception of one remaining load that was scheduled for that weekend. The officer went over the paperwork with me and then demanded to speak to my children alone. At that time I refused and informed her that due to this being my private residence she did not have the authority to speak to my children alone without a court order as I was informed by Heritage Defense. She immediately became aggressive and hostile at which point I called Heritage Defense and was connected immediately to the lawyer I had spoken with previously. He informed her that she did not have the right to speak to the children alone and that I was willing to allow her to speak to them in front of me together. She then said she was contacting her legal department at which time she went back to her car. Heritage Defense stayed on the line with me every step of the way. She came back angry and stated she would be escalating this case further due to me not allowing her to speak to the children alone.

“At that point Heritage Defense set me up with a local lawyer in my area and he took over speaking to CPS. [Heritage Defense covered the attorney’s fees.]

“Two weeks later, knowing that I had obtained a lawyer, the CPS officer contacted me for a FaceTime viewing of the children [no interviews] so she could close the case as unfounded since it appears she had no grounds for escalation.

“Without Heritage Defense I would have most likely allowed a much worse situation to occur as my children were visibly shaken from the hostility the CPS worker displayed at the house.

“My family will not be without Heritage Defense as long as we have children under the age of 18. Thanks again to Bradley and all of the Heritage Defense team as they made an unfounded accusation go away with much less trauma than that which could have occured.”

Additional Note from Heritage Defense:

We are grateful for the Whitney family’s membership and for the privilege of serving their family.

Of course, as the Whitneys mentioned, Heritage Defense encourages member families to contact us immediately upon experiencing any threat to their parental rights, especially contact by a CPS social worker. When contacted by a CPS social worker, we encourage member families to just politely say, “Excuse me one moment while I get my attorney on the phone,” then call our 24/7 line immediately.

When in doubt, reach out. We would much rather member families err on the side of contacting us too soon than too late.

If you are a member of Heritage Defense, we hope it is an encouragement for you to know that your membership is going to help families like the Whitneys. While we cannot guarantee outcomes, if your family is ever falsely accused of child abuse or neglect, we are ready to fight to defend you and your rights.

If you are not yet a member, please join today to have 24/7 access to experienced attorneys ready to defend your family.

*Names changed for privacy

10/06/2026

Member Story: Our son’s therapist reported us to CPS

Jason and Janet Coleman’s son, Micah, has autism and struggles with a number of issues. Jason and Janet attend to his needs earnestly, including regular visits to a therapist.

In one of Micah’s therapy sessions, Janet mentioned to the therapist that Micah gets into occasional fights with his siblings. Janet did not think anything of what she had said. It seemed like just another therapy session.

But a short time later, Janet received a phone call from CPS. Again.

The call was from a CPS investigator.

The therapist had reported Janet’s comments to a CPS investigator, and from there, CPS had opened an investigation against the Colemans.

When the investigator told Janet that she wanted to come to their house, Janet told the investigator that she wanted to speak with her attorney first.

This was not the Colemans’ first experience with CPS. During their earlier case, Heritage Defense had connected them with a local attorney and handled the case. Janet called the local attorney right away. He told her not to speak with CPS, and then he told her to call Heritage Defense.

We told Jason and Janet we would be opening a case and of course that we would be covering all of the local attorney’s fees.

The local attorney then went over everything with Jason and Janet and contacted CPS directly. CPS had been pushing hard to come to the Colemans’ home and do a home visit, as well as conduct interviews with their children. But the local attorney told them plainly to leave the family alone and stop bothering them.

CPS backed off immediately, and Jason and Janet never heard from CPS again.

The family shared their testimony about the experience:

“We have nothing but positive things to say about our local attorney. He was very attentive to what was going on and did a good job of following up and staying on top of CPS. We are very grateful for his guidance. Heritage Defense was amazing. We never thought we would have to use your service, but it was such a relief because we knew exactly who to call when this situation arose. We are very grateful to have Heritage Defense.”

Jason and Janet never expected a conversation with their son’s therapist to bring CPS back into their lives.

But when it did, they knew exactly who to call, and they did not have to face it alone.

Heritage Defense exists to ensure families do not have to navigate moments like these on their own.

If you are not already a member, learn how Heritage Defense can help protect your family if someone makes an unfounded CPS report against you. Click the link in our bio to learn more.

10/01/2026

Member Story: Hospital mistake leads to failed drug test

Terry and Maria Chambers* planned to have their baby at a birthing center with a midwife. But when complications during labor arose, they transferred to the hospital for a c-section.

After a successful delivery, a social worker on staff at the hospital visited the Chambers in their room with some concerns. She informed them that tests were indicating Maria had two different types of drugs in her system at the time of delivery. The Wards had no idea how this was possible. The social worker said the baby could remain in the room with them, but it was unclear whether the Wards were going to be allowed to take their baby home upon discharge.

The Chambers immediately called Heritage Defense and were connected with an attorney who assisted the family. Eventually, the hospital admitted that they had mistakenly run the tests after giving Maria medication in preparation for the c-section. It was those drugs showing up in her system.

Soon after the hospital admitted their mistake, Terry and Maria were able to take their new baby home without any other issues.

If you are a member of Heritage Defense, we hope it is an encouragement for you to know that your membership is going to help families like the Chambers. While we cannot guarantee outcomes, if your family is ever falsely accused of child abuse or neglect, we are ready to fight to defend you and your rights.

If you are not yet a member, please join today by clicking the link in our bio, to have 24/7 access to experienced attorneys ready to defend your family.

*Names changed for privacy

09/21/2026

Member Story: Camp counselor reports family to CPS

Terry and Angela Clyde’s two teenage daughters, Sophie and Lacey, were away at summer camp when Angela received a phone call from a CPS investigator. Someone at the camp had reported that Sophie had said something concerning to a counselor.

The investigator said the allegations were of medical neglect and demanded a meeting with the entire family within 72 hours, even though Sophie and Lacey were hundreds of miles away and would not be home for another two weeks.

Terry and Angela drove to the camp and talked with Sophie. Terry and Angela learned what Sophie had actually said. She had confided in a counselor about some struggles she had been having, but her words had been misinterpreted and exaggerated as signs of a serious mental health crisis. The camp had made a report to CPS before ever contacting Terry or Angela.

While Terry and Angela were at the camp, the CPS investigator made contact with them. The investigator told them that she wanted to meet and speak with all of their family. Terry and Angela told the investigator that they did not want to do anything until they spoke with their attorney.

Terry and Angela then called Heritage Defense.

One of our attorneys spoke with them that same evening. He walked them through what to do next and advised them not to meet with CPS or sign anything without an attorney present.

Heritage Defense then connected the family with a local attorney to represent them.

All of the local attorney’s fees were covered by Heritage Defense.

The local attorney moved quickly. He informed CPS that no one in the Clyde family would be speaking with them until he had been able to meet with them himself. Terry and Angela also got Sophie in to see a trusted therapist.

When a CPS investigator showed up at the Clyde home unannounced, Terry and Angela called the local attorney before opening the door. While they were on the phone with him, the investigator abruptly left.

Over the next several weeks, CPS escalated. The agency demanded interviews with both Sophie and Lacey. They demanded to inspect the home. They demanded access to the daughters’ medical records. They even hinted at bringing in their own attorneys to force the matter.

The local attorney refused each demand. When CPS kept pressing for direct contact with Sophie, he provided the agency with a letter from her therapist stating that any interview with her would be detrimental to her mental health.

After that, CPS went quiet.

Several weeks later, Terry and Angela received a letter from CPS stating that their case had been closed.

Terry and Angela shared their testimony about the experience:
“It was fantastic. We were able to speak with an attorney right away, and everything went well. Heritage Defense did a wonderful job staying on top of the case. You called us multiple times to check on how things were going, which was very nice. The girls are doing great, and they’re relieved that CPS is out of our lives.”

Terry and Angela had never expected a camp counselor’s report to trigger a CPS investigation.

But when it happened, Heritage Defense was there to defend them.

If you are not already a member, learn how Heritage Defense can help protect your family if someone makes an unfounded CPS report against you. Click the link in our bio or comments to learn more.

09/17/2026

Member Story: I questioned a nurse. Then CPS showed up.

Robert and Kimberly Tyler* were in the hospital with their 11-yr-old daughter Sophia. Sophia was battling a potentially fatal inflammation of the heart’s valves and lining. She would have to undergo open-heart surgery.

As the hospital was preparing Sophia for surgery, a nurse came into the hospital room and told Robert and Kimberly that she was going to do a blood transfusion. They asked the nurse if she was sure that a blood transfusion was necessary, and she said it was needed before the surgery. The Tylers immediately gave their permission, but the nurse was already triggered.

Merely questioning a procedure led the nurse to report the Tylers to child protective services (“CPS”). Robert and Kimberly had not refused the transfusion or even said they did not want to do it: they had simply asked a question.

Because they were members of Heritage Defense, the Tylers knew exactly what to do when CPS contacted them at the hospital–they called the 24/7 Heritage Defense line. According to the CPS investigator, the allegations stated that Robert and Kimberly were refusing care for Sophia. They told the Heritage Defense attorney that they had never refused care and had documentation to prove it. The Heritage Defense attorney told them to give CPS his number so he could take care of the case from there.

The Tylers gave CPS their Heritage Defense attorney’s name and number so they could contact him. However, the CPS investigator misspelled the attorney’s name and also wrote down the wrong phone number. So when CPS tried to call the attorney, she got no response, then accused the family of providing her with false information. As soon as the Tylers told their attorney what CPS had accused them of, he immediately got in touch with the attorney for CPS who then apologized and admitted they had made a mistake.

The Tylers’ Heritage Defense attorney was with them every step of the way. In the end, CPS labeled the allegations unfounded and closed the case. Sophia is recovering well from her successful heart surgery.

After their case was closed, Mrs. Tyler wrote this testimonial:
Wow! We are still in awe of God’s Hand on our situation. Y’all are His Hands and Feet at work, and we pray for continued blessing on you, your families, your members, and your cases.

If you are a member of Heritage Defense, we hope it is an encouragement for you to know that your membership is going to help families like the Tylers. While we cannot guarantee outcomes, if your family is ever falsely accused of child abuse or neglect, we are ready to fight to defend you and your rights.

If you are not yet a member, please join today to have 24/7 access to experienced attorneys ready to defend your family.

*Names changed for privacy

09/09/2026

Having a baby?

Are you expecting a baby? Is someone you know expecting a baby?

A host of state laws affect newborn care both in and outside of hospitals.

Here are some of the most common ones:

Vitamin K injections
Eye ointment
Dried blood spot screening
Hearing screening
Hepatitis B vaccine
Pulse oximetry screening

You can find the laws on these issues for your state in our Law and Policy Vault (Link in our bio).

For each of these issues, Heritage Defense has written a brief article to provide context and summarized the law in all 50 states. All of this research is available both to members and non-members.

Timing, exemptions, and potential penalties for all these treatments vary by state. Failure to adhere to these laws can sometimes even result in a CPS report and investigation.

Expecting parents are encouraged to review the articles and check their state laws well before the birth. If you do not know the purpose behind each procedure, the law, and your parental laws, it will be difficult to make an informed decision following the birth. We recommend doing your research early so you can communicate your preferences to the birth team ahead of time. This reduces conflict and confusion while allowing everyone to focus on the birth and recovery.

Read the articles and find your state law in the Law and Policy Vault. Members with questions can schedule a consultation with a Heritage Defense staff attorney.

Vitamin K Injections

Intramuscular, or sometimes oral, administration of Vitamin K to newborns during postpartum care is intended to lessen the risk of vitamin K deficiency bleeding. Most medical providers will strongly encourage parents to consent to it. Some have reported parents who refuse to CPS.

Eye Ointment

Most states require a preventative eye treatment for newborns soon after birth in order to prevent eye infections resulting from sexually transmitted diseases. The treatment can be administered by a health professional or any person attending the birth. Many states also require eye infections to be reported.

Blood Spot Screening

After a birth, blood spot screening is legally required for newborns in every state. The purpose is to screen the baby for congenital disorders that may be treatable if recognized early enough. Collection of a blood specimen typically occurs 24-48 hours after birth.

Hearing Screening

Federal law incentivizes states to enact Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs. Most states require hearing screening by law for newborns.

Hepatitis B Vaccine

Administering a HepB vaccine to newborns is common protocol at U.S. hospitals. Only some states legally require it. Exemptions may apply or a parent’s right to refuse may not be specifically overridden. Parents should expect that medical personnel will typically encourage administration of the HepB vaccine.

Pulse Oximetry Screening

Screening newborns for Critical Congenital Heart Defects (CCHD) via pulse oximetry (pulse ox.) is required in most states. Screening typically occurs 24-48 hours after birth.

You can view all your state requirements for these laws, and more by clicking the link in our bio to access the law and policy vault.

Finally, if you or someone you know is expecting their first child, be aware that parents can become members of Heritage Defense even before your child is born. Instead of waiting to apply until after the birth, joining early allows first time parents to get help if a situation does arise right after the birth. Please share this article with anyone you know who might benefit from learning these laws and being members with Heritage Defense.

Address

2082 US 183, Ste. 170/224
Leander, TX
78641

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