The one instance in which I had to call the state child protective services agency was botched badly, and the student's situation worsened. Apparently, the agency social worker allowed the accused mother to pull my student into another room, where the mother threatened to kill my student if she told about the abuse. Then, the child was interviewed right there in the mother's presence. Needless to say, the child recanted, claiming the whole thing was a stunt for attention, and the case was dropped. This was the worst handling of an abuse investigation in my experience as both an educator and a guardian ad litem.