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Mother urges Kentwood leaders to pursue accountability after alleged wrongful child removal
Summary
At the Dec. 2 meeting, Brandy Ritzema told the commission CPS and police removed her children without a court order and accused agencies of failing to investigate; the mayor said an internal investigation found the officer followed rules and recommended she seek legal counsel.
Brandy Ritzema told the Kentwood City Commission on Dec. 2 that in July 2024 Child Protective Services and police removed her children from her home without a court order and before she had been asked questions, and she accused agencies of using testimony and reports that she says were inaccurate.
“I have never asked the city to change a court ruling,” Ritzema said. She urged city leaders to recognize that families are harmed when government power is “weaponized” and asked to be contacted by whoever is in charge of the investigations she described.
In response the mayor said the city conducted an internal investigation and concluded the officer acted according to department rules and regulations. The mayor encouraged Ritzema to seek legal counsel because the matter is in the court system.
Ritzema’s comments raised questions about how agency records and testimony were collected and used in her case; she said she had not been contacted as part of the city’s reported investigation. The commission did not take any immediate action on the matter during the meeting; the mayor referred the issue to the court system and suggested legal counsel.
