Pete Buttigieg cleared after false child-abuse tip sparks investigation

An anonymous tip reported by a woman described as “mentally unstable” alleged that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had endangered his four‑year‑old twins. Michigan and Indiana authorities responded by sending a trooper and a child‑welfare worker to Buttigieg’s home in Traverse City, Michigan, separating the children from their parents for about 24 hours while they were interviewed.

State police later determined the allegation was false. Travel records showed Buttigieg had never been in the Alabama city cited in the claim, and the woman could not provide any evidence. Michigan’s attorney general has opened an investigation into both the unfounded report and the authorities’ handling of the case, while Indiana State Police are examining whether the accuser should face criminal charges for filing a false report.

The incident has drawn criticism from child‑welfare experts, who said the response was poorly vetted, and it has added to scrutiny of how high‑profile political figures are treated by law‑enforcement agencies.