New York's child protection agency has found no evidence that the son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy ever abused or mistreated his newborn son, Douglas Kennedy's lawyer told NBC New York.
Kennedy's attorney, Robert Gottlieb, told NBC New York his client received a letter from the Office of Children and Family Services that reads in part, "No credible evidence was found to believe that the child has been abused or maltreated."
The agency was called to investigate after Kennedy was charged with child endangerment in February. The charge stemmed from his attempt to take his infant son from a suburban hospital's maternity ward on Jan. 7.
Gottlieb added the letter says OCFS officials have determined any allegation of child abuse to be "unfounded."
Kennedy still faces a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child and two violations related to his confrontation with two nurses during the January incident.
Gottlieb said the OCFS finding does not directly relate to the child endangerment charge, but said, "It is our fervent hope that the Westchester district attorney will continue to evaluate this case and we remain hopeful that the DA will ultimately dismiss that charge."
A spokesman for the Westchester district attorney's office said the case will proceed as charged through its next court date. Kennedy is next due in court in Mount Kisco April 12.
The OCFS finding has nothing to do with charges of physical harassment against Kennedy stemming from the same incident at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco.
One nurse says Kennedy twisted her arm as she tried to keep him from leaving with the baby and another says he kicked her.
Kennedy, 44, has said he was protecting the child as the nurses tried to grab him. He and his wife, Molly, issued a statement in February that said, "Our simple desire to take our son outside for fresh air has been warped into a charge of child endangerment."
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