C&P Newswire
COLUMBUS, OHIO — In a case that has drawn statewide attention and deepened concerns about police accountability, the City of Columbus has agreed to pay a $1 million settlement to a father whose 7-year-old son was wrongfully taken and kept hidden for seven months after officers mistakenly handed the child over to his noncustodial mother.
The incident occurred in October 2023, when two Columbus police officers responded to a family-related call. Despite court documents clearly showing that the father had full legal custody, the officers released the boy to his mother — who was legally prohibited from having him. She immediately fled with the child, setting off a months-long search that left the father devastated and the community outraged.
Authorities later located the boy safely after the mother was found in another state. She now faces criminal charges related to interference with custody and abduction.
City officials approved the settlement earlier this month, acknowledging “serious procedural errors” and a failure to properly verify custodial rights before acting.
In a public statement, the father described the ordeal as “a living nightmare that no parent should ever have to endure.” He said the financial settlement “can’t repair the trauma” but hopes it prompts meaningful reform within the Columbus Division of Police.
The two officers involved were disciplined internally, though neither was terminated. The city’s Department of Public Safety said new policies and mandatory training are being implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future, including stricter verification of court orders and improved communication with child services.
Community leaders are calling for further accountability and transparency. “This case represents a deep failure of both judgment and compassion,” said one civil rights advocate. “When a mistake costs a child seven months with his father, someone must be held responsible.”
As the city moves forward, the father says he’s simply grateful to have his son back — and determined to ensure no other parent has to fight the same battle.
