DCS responds to viral video of abuse investigation

The local Department of Child Services office is speaking out after a mom came forward to explain why she was berating three family case managers in a video. Sylvania Nipper said she was irate because DCS sent a male case worker to take photos of her 10-year-old daughter’s behind.

Nipper claims she disciplined her child after police brought her home in handcuffs from school.

She recorded a video and posted it to Facebook on Friday.

Nipper said, “I’m very angry. I know a lot of people see me as being disrespectful to authorities that came here.” 

On Wednesday the video she posted had more than 2 million views. 

The regional manager of Indiana’s Department of Child Services decided to speak about policies following the release of the story.

James Pippin, the district 3 regional manager for DCS came to the defense of the case managers who he is in charge of handling.

Pippin said, “Investigating or assessing child abuse neglect is one of the hardest jobs there are out there.”

Pippin said family case managers often deal with some of the most heartbreaking situations that plague society. 

Pippin said, “If we have an allegation that there’s a bruise on a child and we need to take photographs. The policy is that we have a witness in the room.”

In the video a witness did not go into the room to photograph the child in addition to the case manager. According to the audio, Nipper requested that just one female photograph her daughter so they complied. 

Pippin said it is their policy to leave that decision to the parents.

Eventually the female case worker comes out saying she did not see any bruises on the 10-year-old’s body.

Pippin said if the mom would have asked, she could have been in the room while the case worker took the photos.

Pippin said, “And depending where the child’s at, if they’re at school we may have it done in front of a social worker or if they’re at the doctor’s office or feel comfortable in front of a doctor, we’ll go that route.”