Need to know what to do

[Motherof18]

Jurisdiction

Texas

I am caring for my 2 year old step grandson his mother just left him with me and said either take care of him or give him to CPS. She is willing to give me her rights so that I will have full custody so my question is how do I go about doing that

 

[KatDini]

Hire an attorney. (Putative) Dad will also have a chance to respond.

 

[adjusterjack]

Motherof18, the trouble with starting two threads on the same issue is that the other one gave no details with the question "What are grandparents' rights"?

Given your explanation in this thread, you may actually have some rights with regards to the child when you have accepted the obligation of caring for him.

I've deleted your other thread as a duplicate. In the future please keep all of your discussion to this thread and don't open any new ones.

Thank you.

 

[army judge]

I am caring for my 2 year old step grandson his mother just left him with me and said either take care of him or give him to CPS. She is willing to give me her rights so that I will have full custody so my question is how do I go about doing that

It might be best to self report EVERYTHING to CPS.

You indicate that the child is not related to you, other by a marriage.

A step-ANYTHING is a LEGAL nothing.

Therefore, that fact alone is reason enough to IMMEDIATELY report the complex situation that a relative abandoned the child to your custody, and has since disappeared.

Children aren't puppies, used automobiles, or bicycles; to be passed around willy nilly.

Contact CPS to help the child and yourself, because you don't know what's really going down behind the scenes.

CPS can assist you with obtaining some form of TEMPORARY / EMERGENCY CUSTODY so that you can eventually be granted a more permanent CUSTODY when CPS works things out.

If you don't contact CPS, an angry person, let's say the SPERM DONOR daddy might say you kidnapped HIS child.

Or, you can HIRE and PAY for an attorney (out of your pocket) to seek some form of emergency custody.

Good luck.

 

[Motherof18]

It might be best to self report EVERYTHING to CPS.

You indicate that the child is not related to you, other by a marriage.

A step-ANYTHING is a LEGAL nothing.

Therefore, that fact alone is reason enough to IMMEDIATELY report the complex situation that a relative abandoned the child to your custody, and has since disappeared.

Children aren't puppies, used automobiles, or bicycles; to be passed around willy nilly.

Contact CPS to help the child and yourself, because you don't know what's really going down behind the scenes.

CPS can assist you with obtaining some form of TEMPORARY / EMERGENCY CUSTODY so that you can eventually be granted a more permanent CUSTODY when CPS works things out.

If you don't contact CPS, an angry person, let's say the SPERM DONOR daddy might say you kidnapped HIS child.

Or, you can HIRE and PAY for an attorney (out of your pocket) to seek some form of emergency custody.

Good luck.

Can we go to a judge and get some kind of paper signed saying she gives me her rights or should I just go through CPS? I have plenty of text messages saying she don't want him.

 

[army judge]

Can we go to a judge and get some kind of paper signed saying she gives me her rights or should I just go through CPS? I have plenty of text messages saying she don't want him.

No, children can't be owned, bartered, sold, or swapped.

Parents don't own children, such that a parent can give away that parental right, or give away their child(ren) as if it(they) was(are) a pup(pies).

CPS can assist you, as can your private attorney.

As it stands today, you are as much a legal stranger to that child as am I.

 

[Betty3]

Where is the Father of the child?

 

[ElleMD]

Ditto on the father. The mother can grant guardianship to you, whether you are related or not. my parents had guardianship of a family friend's child so the child could finish school when the father's job transferred him. You should have a lawyer guide you, and it is a legal document. That goes double if the father is not on board and signing off on this as well. You can find more here Minor children | Texas Guardianship Association

 

[leslie82]

Except the mother hasn't legally done anything. She just dumped her kid off with her stepmother.

As stated the father has a say in this.

 

[ElleMD]

Parents can legally leave the children in the care of a friend or relative. That is totally legal. Many a grandparent has taken care of a child for an "extended vacation" or while a parent works, goes to school, is sick, or just to bond. Once it gets into the realm of granting the grandparent legal rights, then it gets complicated.

 

[leslie82]

Except the mom just dumped her kid and said keep it or give it to CPS I don't care. This isn't some extended vacation or she went to work according to OP. Big difference between "Hey watch my kid while I go to work" and "I'm out later. Keep the kid or not I don't care."

 

[ElleMD]

Still doesn't change the legality. The child can stay there indefinitely but the grandmother would not have legal rights. To get those rights, they must go through the courts and it gets messier depending upon the cooperation of the parents.