Teen receives Christmas gifts from friend's dad, mom returns them for credit, CPS is called.

The truth sets you free, but it can also get other people in trouble.

In a popular post on the AITA subreddit, a teen asked if she was wrong for telling her friend's dad the truth about her mom, resulting in CPS getting called. She wrote:

"AITA for telling my friend's dad my mom returned everything he got me for store credit for herself?"

So last year my mom married Mark and we moved to a new state. We have a 3 bedroom house. My mom and Mark have one room, Mark's daughter Lily (10) has her own room and I (13f) share with my brothers (16, 18, and 22). Mark doesn't want my mom to work but he also doesn't give her money for us because that's our dad's job so I was kinda on my own to get anything I needed.

A guy at my school noticed I don't have a lunch most of the time so he started bringing extra food for me then I started going to his house after school. They've been really nice to me. They take me out with them and they got me pair of shoes because mine were too small. They went all out for me for Christmas.

I got 2 pairs of boots and another 2 pairs of shoes, 6 pairs of jeans, 4 leggings, like 20 shirts, 2 jackets, a raincoat, rain boots, umbrella, new backpack and water bottle and even hair stuff and some makeup. They also got me glasses but that wasn't really a Christmas present. My mom took everything back for store credit and she used it to get herself stuff.

My friend's dad picked me up the day after Christmas to take me to camp (he signed me and my friend up for cooking camp during winter break) and I told him what happened. He called CPS and they came to camp to talk to me a couple days later then they came to the house and now I'm staying with my friend and his dad.

He reordered everything he got me plus he had me go into Target and some other stores to get a couple things until everything gets here but my mom is really mad that I told him and she's saying I got her in a lot of trouble so I wanted to know if I was wrong for telling him that she returned everything.

The internet had OP's back.

alwaystasks wrote:

You are NTA. You are not wrong. Parents take care of their kids. That’s our job and our privilege to do. I’m so sorry OP but your mom and your step dad were mistreating you and neglecting you. Your friend’s family was able to see this and I’m so glad they got CPS involved.

And OP responded:

My mom's never been this mad at me before. I think I'm gonna be here a long time. My friend's dad had me pick out new paint and furniture for my room.

ButterflySammy wrote:

NTA. Your mom stole from you. She got herself in trouble. You did the exact right thing telling them what happened to the things they bought you. Your mom is being selfish by trying to convince you that you were wrong to say anything because you keeping quiet is good for her. You're not wrong - your mother is lying about you being wrong to manipulate you.

You are 13, you do not have the power to get her into trouble - her troubles are all things she did herself. It is not likely even stealing from you that got her in the most trouble, it is likely that once she drew attention to herself people started noticing other things she was not taking care of. You had shoes too small. Strike one. Needed glasses. Strike two. Went to school with no food.

One strike per day someone else fed you. You are a girl sharing a bedroom with a 22-year-old who is male, as well as two other teenage boys, while he gives his own daughter who is nearer your age a whole room to herself. CPS will hate that. Nothing you said caused her troubles...she did, the truth did.

Disco_Sugit wrote:

NTA. I freaked out when you said you had to share a bedroom with a male teenager and two men.

Glad you got out of there, and you have support.

And OP responded:

I've shared a room and beds with them since I was like 5. I didn't think it was that big of a deal.

Severe-Hope-9151 wrote:

NTA, your mom got herself into any trouble she is in. As I'm sure you have noticed in the responses to your post, this isn't a normal situation that you are in. This is in regard to your sharing a room with 3 males and the dynamic that seems to exist between your mom and her husband. Do you get along with Lily?

OP responded:

We don't really talk except for when I clean her room. Mark said I had to do chores to live there.

There is no universe in which OP is the AH.