Police again pick up 'free-range' kids, take them straight to child services

Maryland 'free range' parents charged with child neglect for letting kids walk home alone
(Image credit: iStock)

Sparking a national conversation about free-range parenting earlier this year, Danielle and Alexander Meitiv are again under scrutiny after their children were picked up by police for the second time in four months on Sunday.

After a long car ride, the Meitivs dropped their 6- and 10-year-old children off at a park almost a mile from their home, asking them to be home by 6 p.m. Police intercepted them about midway through their walk. When the kids still weren't home at 6:30 p.m., the Meitivs became worried — but Child Protective Services didn't call until around 8 p.m. to say the children were in their custody.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Stephanie Talmadge

Stephanie is an editorial assistant at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Modern Luxury Media.