Interim custody for grandparents

[kb38]

My 19 year old daughter has a 16 month old baby and both live with us. Recently she left her baby with my sister-in-law and a letter to me advising that she can't handle being a mother this young, that she wants to go live her life and that she has been thinking horrible thoughts about the baby recently. She stated that she wants us to adopt the baby. I had come home from work and found this letter and had to go get the baby and make all the arrangements to have her looked after while we worked during the week. I went to the courthouse to see how to go about getting custody and they provided me with the paperwork.

My daughter is now saying that she just need some time to herself and she does not want to give up her baby and wants to come home (after 1 week). I am trying to decide whether or not she can come home after the turmoil she has put everyone through, but the main thing is how do I protect the baby. My daughter obviously emotionally and mentally unstable right now and cannot make any decisions for the child. If I were to obtain temporary custody at lease I could protect the baby and if she were to attempt to leave with her (no job, no money, no place to live) this would stop that. Or if she left again and left the baby, the custody arrangement would already be in place.

Does anyone know how to go about getting interim custody so that for the immediate future the baby is safe with us? I don't want to take her child from her, I just want her to get her life together.

 

[Duranie]

You need to file for temporary custody. Go down to the family court, or better yet, see a family law attorney asap. I would not totally trust your daughter yet either, and it is good that you are looking our for your grand child. Be sure you save that letter.

On another note, your daughter needs a reality check on responsibility. If she is going to continue to live with you and the baby, she needs to get a job, and be able to support her child Attending parenting classes probably is not a bad idea too. The courts will likely order this if you are awarded temorary custody anyways.