North Texas Parents Sue DFPS Over Child Removal and "Unable to Determine" Label

Child Taken and Central Registry Placement

• 👶 A North Texas couple, Rodney and Temecia Jackson, had their newborn daughter, Mila, removed from their home by state officials when she was only one week old.
• 🏥 The removal occurred after a pediatrician accused the Jacksons of medical neglect.
• ⏳ Mila was kept in protective custody for 24 days before the case was initially dropped.

Lingering "Unable to Determine" Designation

• 📌 Despite the case being dropped, the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) later found reason to believe neglect occurred, placing the Jacksons on the central registry for perpetrators of child abuse or neglect.
• ⚖️ The designation was later changed to "unable to determine," but the lawsuit states this label does not allow for an appeal and never truly goes away.
• 😟 This lingering record causes Tamisia Jackson to feel like she is parenting under extra scrutiny, with the constant threat of losing her child.

Legal Action and Due Process Concerns

• 🏛️ The Jacksons, represented by ACLU attorney Charerelle Le, are suing the state, arguing that the DFPS policy violates parents' procedural due process rights.
• 🚫 The lawsuit contends that it is unconstitutional to provide parents with no option to appeal such designations.
• 🏫 Tamisia has recently begun volunteering at her children's schools, but this requires a background check, highlighting the ongoing impact of the registry.
• 🗣️ DFPS has stated that it does not comment on pending litigation.