Could You Be the Target of “Parental Swatting” like Pete Buttigieg?

In June 2026, former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg answered the door to find a police officer and a child welfare case worker, who informed him that they had received an anonymous report of abuse concerning his children. Subsequently, Michigan police found that the anonymous call was false, and the 4-year-old twins were returned to Mr. Buttigieg. This incident is an example of “parental swatting,” where false reports of abuse or neglect are made to authorities to harass and embarrass a parent. (The term “swatting” originally referred to false emergency calls intended to provoke a heavy police response at someone’s address.) While you may believe that false reports of abuse are rare, they can be more common than expected, particularly in high-conflict divorce situations.

If you are dealing with a high-conflict divorce or custody situation, the LLF Law Firm can help. We have successfully handled numerous high-conflict cases, and our Family Law Team can help protect you and your children. Call the LLF Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.

In PA, a court may issue an Order of Protective Custody (OPC) to remove a child from a parent’s home and place them in the care of a relative, the other parent, or the state. An OPC is triggered when serious allegations of abuse or domestic violence are made against a parent. While most reports of abuse are made in some level of good faith, they can also be made falsely to embarrass a parent or gain an advantage in a court case. Such false allegations are more likely during high-conflict divorce and custody cases.

Every divorce or custody case involves conflict by its nature. But in some cases, the adversarial nature of the situation takes over, and cases become high-conflict. These high-conflict cases frequently show the following factors:

The unfortunate fact is that these allegations of abuse or neglect in high-conflict cases are highly likely to be false or blown entirely out of proportion.

If you find yourself the subject of a false report to Child and Youth Services (CYS), your priority should be to respond to the investigation, just as Secretary Buttigieg did. It is advisable to have an experienced custody attorney from Pennsylvania by your side to guide you through the process. Your main focus should be on protecting your child and cooperating fully with the investigation.

If the court determines that the other parent has made false allegations of abuse to gain an advantage, it may impose significant sanctions on that parent. In some cases, the court might even change custody arrangements. In many high-conflict situations, the court will appoint a parenting coordinator to facilitate communication between the parents and reduce conflict.

If you face a high-conflict custody case or false allegations of abuse or neglect, the LLF Law Firm can help. Our Family Law Team can protect you and your child. Call the LLF Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form, and we will reach out to you.