Would it be legally possible for a mother of a 12yr. old to be living in a condo with no electricity or heat?

Question

I have an employee that says that there was a power surge in her condo which fried her electric appliances and she is running off a generator. There is very little heat because of this. Would city officials let a woman with a 12yr. old stay in this obvioulsy condemed building? The kicker is she was offered $100 per day for a hotel room, but will not take the offer because of the dogs. So, is it leagle for this woman to live in the building with her child or should DCFS get involved? I am just concerned for the child that is left home alone until midnight.

Answer 1

Personally, I would notify CPS to investigate the matter, especially if this child is being left alone until midnight. I have to agree with the above poster that I am as concerned with the child being left alone up until midnight.

For the woman to chose her dogs over her child's well being is foolish and poor parenting (I am not being insensitive to the animal's well being...have had to give up pets when I had the choice of living in a bad neighbhood with pets or good one with no pets based on what I could afford based on my part-time job and what was best for my year old baby).

Just because CPS investigates does not automatically mean the child will be taken from the mother, but more than likely get to accept the offer of having the child in a hotel room until the problem is fixed (the woman to could leave the dogs at the condo and visit them throughout the day). CPS may be able to assist her in getting the owner of the condo to get the condo fixed right away of face penalies or get out of the lease and into subsidized housing.

Depending on her income, she may also qualify for reduced cost or free childcare by a licensed childcare provider (most cities have at least one licensed childcare provider for 2nd and 3rd shifts).

They may also be able to get her involved in parenting classes and she will not only learn valuable parenting skills, but meet other mothers in the same situation she is in and and they may be able to help each other out.

For those that think it is "unkind" to get officials involved, how is this child to do his homework in the dark? How to you think it feels for this poor 12 year old child to sit in a dark house until his mother comes home? How you would all feel if nothing is done and you hear on the news of a 12 year old having died from hypotheria when left alone in a house without proper heat?

Answer 2

It takes a lot to get a building condemned in most places. I doubt that the condo is actually condemned. I'm also curious to know how she's safely running a generator. It's very hard to know just what the situation is without having been to the condo. How cold is it there? I've taken kids camping in pretty cold weather, so I don't know if the child is actually uncomfortable. I'd be more concerned about a child who's only 12 being alone until midnight and alone with the generator.

I hate to see a single mother, which I'm assuming she is, given more grief when she's already in a tough situation. She's trying to work and support her child, which is what society wants her to do. Has anyone offered to help her? Does the child have relatives or friends with whom she could stay until the electric is fixed?Could someone help her with boarding the dogs, so that she could go to a motel? How much longer is this going to go on? Personally, I think it's unkind to get officialdom involved without trying to help her first.

Answer 3

It depends. If it is cold where you live, then yes, it would be considered child neglect. The mother needs to be notified that DCFS will be contacted if things are not resolved. As for the dogs. Dogs have a heavy coat of fur.... thats how they survive.... therefor, she needs to grow up, get her priorities strait, and take care of that child.

Answer 4

mind your own business