Custody of younger sister

[habtatsgirl]

Okay so where to start? I am 17, will be 18 in february of 2010. I have a sister who is 14, and will be 15 in january 2010. we have the same mother but different fathers. we lived with our mother when she died about 6 years ago. My father was in rehab at the time and her father was no-where to be found. no one else would take us except for our uncle and his wife- our aunt by marraige. we lived there together for about 3 years and the conditions were bad. we were forced to conform into a religion we both wanted nothing to do with- we were allowed no friends- not inside the religion or outside the religion, no phone, no computer, no nothing right off the bat- this is how it was always, not for punishment. For punishment we were hit with a variety of things- such as belts, wooden spoons, sticks, paddles with holes drilled in them, and also at one point a two-by-four that was called and even labeled "The discipline stick." while they did not hit us anywhere else but out behinds and out legs, they often left bruises nad even made my sister drop her pants a time or two. most of the time we were to clean and watch thier other two kids who are very young. we had to wake up at 5 in the morning and clean before we went to school and then clean for hours after school, while watching the babies. they are also verbally abusive in that they were constantly calling my sister and i ugly, stupid, immature and making rude comments about our own mother and how she did not care about us. they even went to the extent of making us call them momma and daddy only three months after our own mother died. i had enough when i was 14 and i contacted my father who took me out of thier care because he was out of rehab at that point. They wanted to fight him, but knew it would be a lost battle because he is my father. I have been living in NH for about 3 years now and will turn 18 in a few months. my sister has told me, which has been through phone calls she has to sneak because she is not allowed to contact me, that she is extremely unhappy and hates living there. she wants to live with me. i am almost positive that they only have temporary custody of her. I have a great job with the state and i have my own place which i am able to afford on my own. Is there anyways i can get custody of her? Even though the Aunt and Uncle will definitely not sign her over to me?

 

[BayState]

Okay so where to start? I am 17, will be 18 in february of 2010. I have a sister who is 14, and will be 15 in january 2010. we have the same mother but different fathers. we lived with our mother when she died about 6 years ago. My father was in rehab at the time and her father was no-where to be found. no one else would take us except for our uncle and his wife- our aunt by marraige. we lived there together for about 3 years and the conditions were bad. we were forced to conform into a religion we both wanted nothing to do with- we were allowed no friends- not inside the religion or outside the religion, no phone, no computer, no nothing right off the bat- this is how it was always, not for punishment. For punishment we were hit with a variety of things- such as belts, wooden spoons, sticks, paddles with holes drilled in them, and also at one point a two-by-four that was called and even labeled "The discipline stick." while they did not hit us anywhere else but out behinds and out legs, they often left bruises nad even made my sister drop her pants a time or two. most of the time we were to clean and watch thier other two kids who are very young. we had to wake up at 5 in the morning and clean before we went to school and then clean for hours after school, while watching the babies. they are also verbally abusive in that they were constantly calling my sister and i ugly, stupid, immature and making rude comments about our own mother and how she did not care about us. they even went to the extent of making us call them momma and daddy only three months after our own mother died. i had enough when i was 14 and i contacted my father who took me out of thier care because he was out of rehab at that point. They wanted to fight him, but knew it would be a lost battle because he is my father. I have been living in NH for about 3 years now and will turn 18 in a few months. my sister has told me, which has been through phone calls she has to sneak because she is not allowed to contact me, that she is extremely unhappy and hates living there. she wants to live with me. i am almost positive that they only have temporary custody of her. I have a great job with the state and i have my own place which i am able to afford on my own. Is there anyways i can get custody of her? Even though the Aunt and Uncle will definitely not sign her over to me?

And what happened when your reported the abuse to the police/Child Protective Services?

 

[jharris352]

I would go at it by threatening them with Child services. Bay sees the good in Child Services, and I have to admit they are very needed in many cases, however for every case I have seen that is good, I have seen a dozen where they make a real mess out of a small mess.

Maybe, if you threaten to take them to child services, they will let her come live with you. I don't think any court is going to give you custody of your sister, but you can sure try. Good luck.

If threats don't work, report them. At least in your case they may try to help you get custody and your sister will be away from abuse and able to contact you.

 

[lonelyinny]

your not getting custody at least not right now

Okay so where to start? I am 17, will be 18 in february of 2010. I have a sister who is 14, and will be 15 in january 2010. we have the same mother but different fathers. we lived with our mother when she died about 6 years ago. My father was in rehab at the time and her father was no-where to be found. no one else would take us except for our uncle and his wife- our aunt by marraige. we lived there together for about 3 years and the conditions were bad. we were forced to conform into a religion we both wanted nothing to do with- we were allowed no friends- not inside the religion or outside the religion, no phone, no computer, no nothing right off the bat- this is how it was always, not for punishment. For punishment we were hit with a variety of things- such as belts, wooden spoons, sticks, paddles with holes drilled in them, and also at one point a two-by-four that was called and even labeled "The discipline stick." while they did not hit us anywhere else but out behinds and out legs, they often left bruises nad even made my sister drop her pants a time or two. most of the time we were to clean and watch thier other two kids who are very young. we had to wake up at 5 in the morning and clean before we went to school and then clean for hours after school, while watching the babies. they are also verbally abusive in that they were constantly calling my sister and i ugly, stupid, immature and making rude comments about our own mother and how she did not care about us. they even went to the extent of making us call them momma and daddy only three months after our own mother died. i had enough when i was 14 and i contacted my father who took me out of thier care because he was out of rehab at that point. They wanted to fight him, but knew it would be a lost battle because he is my father. I have been living in NH for about 3 years now and will turn 18 in a few months. my sister has told me, which has been through phone calls she has to sneak because she is not allowed to contact me, that she is extremely unhappy and hates living there. she wants to live with me. i am almost positive that they only have temporary custody of her. I have a great job with the state and i have my own place which i am able to afford on my own. Is there anyways i can get custody of her? Even though the Aunt and Uncle will definitely not sign her over to me?

no court will give a minor custody of another minor. and your sister doesnt get to choose where and with whom she lives with untill shes 18. your father has more legal standing to get custody then you do.

 

[jharris352]

Kelly, pay attention. She isn't a minor anymore. She is 18. I still think a court will think twice about giving custody to someone so young, but it is possible.

 

[habtatsgirl]

I have been trying to find out more information about how it is down there since it has been three years and my sister just recently started calling me, and as i said before it is not often as she has to sneak around to do it. I asked her questions yesterday about how it is down there now and she says the only really different was that they no longer hit her. She wouldn't tell me why, but i am htinking it is because she already got someone else involved. but everything else is the same if not worse. also if it helps any our uncle- which is the one we are blood related to does not have any custody over her. the Aunt-which is related by marraige- only has temporary custody of her. again, I dont know if this helps or anything, but i want to know of anything that will help me. Another thing is that when i was living in GA with her and my dad got me, i was only 14 and i was able to make a decision on were i wanted to live. Thank you guys for helping with this.

 

[lonelyinny]

to jharris

I am 17, will be 18 in february of 2010.

guess you missed this part huh? she is not 18 yet, and shes not getting custody.my answer stands, her sister doesnt choose whom to live with for 3 more years.

 

[habtatsgirl]

I am not trying to get custody yet- not until i turn 18- i already know that. and if you read my last post i said that when i was her age i had a say in where i wanted to live- either with my father or in GA with my aunt nad uncle