Janelle Lateesh Harris has been charged with making a false report, accused of coaching her child to say his father, who is her ex-husband, abused him.
"That's unfair, and mostly it's unfair to the child," said CPS spokesperson Estella Olguin.
According to court documents, Harris filed a report on March 18, claiming her ex-husband had punched their son in the chest and arm. Police say Harris even sent officers seven photos of the bruises.
But when police interviewed the child, court documents show he told them "his mom made the marks because they needed evidence for the child protective services case."
Olguin said, "We're having to interview their children about such serious issues. Just the message that it sends to a child, the damage that it can do to a child, when they don't really understand what's happening."
The boy's father says he and his new wife have now been granted sole temporary custody. He tells me the child has been receiving counseling.
