A district court judge has granted an injunction and blocked child abuse investigations into the families of trans kids in Texas on Friday.

Judge Amy Clark Meachum listened to arguments Friday on whether to temporarily block child protective services’ investigations into parents of transgender children or allow them. After hours of arguments, Meachum granted the injunction blocking the investigations into families providing care for their trans children.

In February, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the department to investigate any families whose children receive gender-transitioning treatments. His letter followed a non-binding legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton describing the care as “child abuse.” 

The family of a 16-year-old trans child, along with Houston-based psychologist Megan Mooney, Ph.D, filed a lawsuit against the governor, DFPS Commissioner Jaime Masters and DFPS, after they were informed they were being investigated. According to the complaint, the family had an investigator arrive at their home.

Last week, the district court issued a temporary restraining order barring the DFPS from investigating the family of the transgender teenager. On Wednesday, the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal from Attorney General Ken Paxton, favoring the family and allowing Friday’s hearing to move forward. The family is represented by the ACLU of Texas and Lambda Legal. 

“I have always felt that at the end of the day the department has children’s best interests at heart and the family’s best interests at heart,” said Randa Mulanax, Child Protective Services investigations supervisor. “I no longer feel that way with this order.”

Mulanax, who has recently resigned from CPS, said she’s not testifying on behalf of the department but as a concerned, public citizen.

“If they can’t be priority none, and they can’t go to alternative response then they have to go to investigations, which would mean that they would have to have a disposition to sign at the end of the case,” Mulanax said.

Written By: Chloe Young for KXAN