Pete Buttigieg said he and his family were hit by a false anonymous report that triggered a Child Protective Services and police response, briefly separating him from his 4-year-old twin children for about a day. Authorities later said the report was unfounded, and Buttigieg said he may pursue civil or criminal charges.

What happened

According to multiple reports, a police officer and CPS worker came to Buttigieg’s home in Michigan after an anonymous allegation claimed his children were in danger. The children were then interviewed separately, and Buttigieg was not allowed to be alone with them until that process was finished.

Why it drew attention

Buttigieg described the ordeal as one of the darkest moments of his life, and he suggested the incident may have been politically motivated. Michigan State Police said they received an anonymous report, responded with CPS, and determined it was false.

Latest context

The story spread quickly because it involved both a prominent political figure and a claim that ended up being baseless. Reports also note that Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, sent the twins to stay with their grandparents during the investigation.

TL;DR

A false CPS/police report prompted a short separation between Buttigieg and his kids, but investigators later found no evidence supporting the allegation.