What can I do if my daughter’s best friend is 15 and lives in an abusive environment?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

What can I do if my daughter’s best friend is 15 and lives in an abusive environment?

Her father has custody of her presently. He is an alcoholic, does not pay his bills(the gas is off currently) and does not provide adequately for her. She cannot be with her mother as her mother’s husband is serving time in jail for on-going child molestation involving this girl. Her whole family are abusers in some way. She wants to live here with me and my family. I would love to have her but I don’t know what I have to do. Is there anything I can do and what steps can I take? Even it’s just temporary custody. The girl is here in my home right now and does not want to go back home. What can I do?

Asked on October 3, 2012 under Family Law, Pennsylvania

Answers:

David Axinn / David M Axinn

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

If the father will cooperate, it may be possible to make some temporary arrangement that gives you some legal authority. You should consult with an attorney about this.

If there is no cooperation, then your legal rights are pretty limited - you would have to return her. (My answer might be different if she had lived with you for some period of tim). You can call children and youth services, or childline to report the situation, but you should know that their definition of abuse is a lot more limited than the way most people use the word.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption