'We've Been Living In Hell': Nightmare Over for Novi Family

The family of Anthony and Melissa Geers has been reunited after Michigan Child Protective Services dropped its child abuse investigation. (Screenshot via WDIV-TV)

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A three-month nightmare is over for a Novi family of five, who have been reunited after Anthony and Melissa Geers were vindicated of allegations they’d abused their young twins, who suffer from a condition that causes brittle bones.

The 4-month-old twin boys were removed from their parents’ custody in April by Michigan Child Protective Service triggered by x-rays that showed both infants had broken ribs, WXYZ-TV reported at the time.

The Geers had taken one of the twins, Jacob, to an out-of-state physician for treatment of a chronic medical problem. An x-ray confirmed an old break that likely occurred shortly after his birth. Another x-ray showed his twin, Thomas, had five broken ribs.

The Geers were at a loss the explain the broken bones. Melissa Geer testified that she had fallen while carrying both boys. Or, she said, the boys may have been injured by an older siblign who was aggressive in his play. Finally, the Geers wondered if the injuries had anything to do with the twins’ premature birth.

Family and friends rallied behind the Geers after the children were removed from their parents’ custody, and said they never doubted their parenting skills.

“They have twins that were born premature, three and four pounds,” Jim Bachman, the boys’ grandfather, told WXYZ at the time. “Injuries could have occurred at any point. To say it must be the parents is incorrect.”

Rather than uproot their older children from the home, Anthony and Melissa Geers moved temporarily to White Lake and the twins were placed in the care of their grandmother.

The long separation ended Thursday after the charges were dropped after it was revealed that the boys have the brittle bone disease and a Vitamin D deficiency, which Lisa Kirsch, the Geers’ attorney, said CPS investigators missed.

“The state spends so much money investigating child abuse, and how can you just get to the point that someone says it’s child abuse and stop,” Kirsch told WDIV. “Why didn’t the investigation go further.”

CPS said in a statement to WDIV that it acted on the best information available at the time.

“We make decisions based on expert medical advice with the safety and well-being of children being our top priority,” the statement read. “Sometimes we become aware of additional information that causes us to withdraw petitions to the court for the removal of children.”

Melissa Geers said she and her family knew all along the truth would prevail and they would be cleared.

The Geers had daily visitation with their children, but the past two and one-half months have been difficult.

“We’ve been living in hell for three months,” Anthony Geers said. “It’s almost like you’re being torn apart every night.”