Q: What to do if falsely accused of stealing by family?

A: The best thing to do is to cease making any type of statement, verbal or written, including on social media about this, until you speak with a criminal lawyer. It's important that you be advised of your constitutional rights if you are contacted by law enforcement. At the end of the day, you may have a legal claim against any family member who accused you of a crime. An accusation of a crime is defamation. The spoken word is slander. The written word is libel.

A: It’s understandable to feel unsettled when you hear about a serious accusation through family and social media rather than directly from the police. The first thing to keep in mind is that until law enforcement contacts you, there is no active case you are required to respond to. A Facebook post alone is not evidence of a crime, and if your father denied making the report when you asked him, that’s an important detail to keep in mind.

To ease your concerns, you can check with your local police department or sheriff’s office to see if a report was actually filed in your name. This will give you peace of mind and help you separate rumors from facts. Keep copies or screenshots of any social media posts related to the accusation, but avoid engaging in online disputes, since that could make the situation more stressful.

It may also help to quietly gather your own records, such as bank statements or other documentation, just in case you are asked about the matter in the future. Having character witnesses who know you well will also help if the situation escalates. For now, the most important thing is not to panic—simply monitor the situation, confirm whether a report exists, and be prepared, but don’t let rumors alone add unnecessary stress.