Child neglect??

Question

My husband has a 5 year old child who lives with her mom. The mother is 22 and in my eyes is a bad mother!She has left her home ALONE 2x for a short period of time, her home is absolutley discusting,she never has her(always @ a sitter) and just doesnt have her head on right. Anyway, we have our own home,have two steady jobs, take care of her when shes here, and he pays his child support on time. What do you think the odds of us getting full custody are?? Should we call social services-is it annonomys?HELP!!

Answer 1

Well I'm in the same boat. Add me to your contacts we can Chat and I will tell my story sometime. HA But to answer your question. It is pretty hard to prove a mother unfit. At least in Texas it is. They will have to be having sex and smoking crack IN FRONT of the babies to get proven unfit . If you call CPS they will investigate and at least you will have piece of mind for now. And keep calling CPS as long as you feel she's in danger! I Would!And I do! God be with you Your Husband,and your Step-Daughter. Hopefully she will see what she's doing and change. It's sad because it will probably take something big to make her see it.

Answer 2

A child needs both parents. What you consider a disgusting home may not be in the minds of social services. She's at the sitters a lot, you and your husband both have jobs, where will the child be...at the sitters. If your husband truly thinks she is neglectful, he should go through the court system and social services. If he can only do it anonymously, he doesn't believe he has a very strong case or doesn't want to "make waves" with his ex. therefore he shouldn't do anything. I hope you mean "custodial parent" and not true full custody (this involves taking away the mothers parental rights). No, you and he will not get anything...HE may get primary custody, but you are not part of the situation. Most importantly you need to support your husband but you are not related to this child and you should stay out of it completely. The courts really don't like step-parents interfering. I've been through the exact same thing.

Answer 3

Call the state and get them involved in a child neglect case. At the very least the mother will have to improve the environment and the care. Worst case they will issue a ChINA (CHild In Need of Assistance) petition.

If the state does remove the child and place her with you, their goal will be reunification with the mother. You will have to deal with that process first. After a period of time you can ask the juvenile court for permission to go after custody. If they grant it then you can file in district court.

In most states these days it is very difficult to get full custody. The system is leaning toward joint physical even when one of the parents isn't a very good parent.

The call to social services is confidential but not anonymous.

Answer 4

You could and if the social services find that the child is in a bad situation they might take her away from the mother. But you need to show that you will give her a good home and you will be giving her to strangers to take care of if your holding a full time job.
You will also be taking the child away from familiar surroundings and possible school friends. You both need to weigh it carefully if you do take the child you will be full time parents the next 15 years.

Answer 5

If you honestly feel the child isn't taken properly care of and left alone at 5 years old, yes call social services. You don't have to give your name or for that fact tell anyone including your husband. Don't call out of disgust for the ex, but for the safetly of the child. If this child is being neglected it is your duty or anyone else who knows this to report it. Leaving her with a sitter or not having a steady job isn't reason, but leaving her alone for any amount of time is. What does your husband think about this?

Answer 6

I would see what your spouse says before you make any calls =). I would keep records of everything you can and document everything. The thing about getting full custody is that it's very time consuming and not to mention expensive to prove the other parent unfit. If you guys have the resources and the time, they I say go for it, for the well being of his child, you know?

Answer 7

I would think you have a good case. I would speak to someone who specialises in these cases, like a solicitor. Failing that, look up your rights on the internet. I would guess that if you decide to go for it, they will speak to the mother, look at the home, and speak to the child. I'm sure the social services do respect confidentiality (ask in case though)

Good luck.

Answer 8

You need to document everything!

Call the police and child services now before that little girl gets hurt. You need to get the mom caught in the act, otherwise it is just hearsay. Then you will have nor problem getting custody.

Answer 9

I think that you should try to get the child out of that dangerous place. You shouldn't leave a child unattended thats that young for any period of time, no matter how small. they have ways of getting into things that aren't meant for them to be in. A child should be living in a healthy, clean place and not growing up around bad influences.

Answer 10

both both negligent. Neither the McCanns or the Grandmother of Ellie positioned those little ones welfare first. the only distinction is that Ellies Grandmother is from a relatives established to be regulation-breakers and of a "decrease classification" than the McCanns, and the McCanns have funds, and funds talks. Im getting ill of the Media,s double-criteria. human beings were hung drawn and quartered by using media for much below what the McCanns have achieved. in spite of the indisputable fact that the media are brown-nosing and faffing about the McCanns as if they're Royalty! WTF is going on? There isnt one journalist or information-reader or media-personality that has come proper out and said "those persons are incorrect to act the way they have". Gutless, spineless reporting from each and each and every of the media.