need advice

[themis1980]

i have a 20 month old daughter. her mother failed to get her her shots for the first 11 months of her life, i picked her up and she was dirty with dirt rings around her neck and arms and smelled like she hadnt had a bath in three days, she had a head full of lice and her and nobody in the home goes to school, there was dog poop smeered around the house and looked like it had been there for days,roaches everywhere and all in her car seat, she had no clean clothes when i picked her up and was wearing diapers two sizes two big. at the time her mom worked in a bar untill three in the morn and slept all day. the kids ran the house all morning. im wondering if this amoung a few other things would help me win costody of her if i go to court? the omly problem with me is that i am gone for two weeks at a time and home for one, but i have a fiance at home full time that is more than capable of keeping her . would this be possible with all these facts?
Tommy

 

[ohiogranny]

Was this recently?

Was paternity established? Any court orders?

Did you have her condition documented by a doctor or CPS? If you were not that concerned then, I doubt if you can use it now. By not reporting neglect, you condone it.
You can be held accountable too.

 

[themis1980]

yes this was about four months ago and as a result i took her from her mother, i got a letter from the doctor stating that i brought her in for all her shots. i have not gotten dna test yet but trying to do so. her mother found her yesterday and took her from my girlfriend with cops. we are going to court on the 14 for custody. i am mad at myself for not calling cps on her, i was told it was what i should have done but i didnt know. its a regret of mine. i took her from that enviornment but didnt handle it properly, but i hope i still have a chance of costody.

 

[ohiogranny]

Bad news is, you have no rights to her if there are no court established DNA/signed papers/custody orders...and mom has her now and she is the custodial parent.
Good news is, mom was ok with you having the child with you.

You have an uphill fight without any documentation to the condition of the child and the residence.

 

[Duranie]

Next time call CPS immed and take pictures of the house. If you are not the legal father (by signing the bith paperwork) you haev no rights but you need to see about establishing paternity and filing for custody ASAP. See an attoreny ro maybe google some fathers rights groups in your state.