Getting Guardianship of My Sisters

[JenniA]

My question involves guardianship in the State of: Indiana and Colorado.

My younger sisters were put into foster care once my mom went to jail when they were 3 and 1 1/2, this was in Indiana. My grandmother came from Colorado to take care of them and raise them. My mother has wanted nothing to do with them, my other siblings, or myself since than 14yrs ago. 7 years ago my grandmother died and my aunt has been taking care of them since then. My younger brother (24, married, with a 3yr old) and myself (25 with a 4yr-old) and my older brother (26) have been informed that there living situation isn't good. They are still with my aunt and her daughter (now 19). My younger cousin treats them horribly and my aunt does nothing about it (verbally and mentally abusing them). Their house is infested with bedbugs, and other bugs. As of right now me and my younger brother want to get custody of them (we live in Indiana). We are unsure if they are wards of the state of Indiana, as custody was never established when my grandmother came to get them. We have asked my aunt if it was ok for us to have them and she has flat out refused it to happen. What do we need to do to get them?

[Dogmatique]

You need to find out who actually has legal custody or guardianship of the minors. Absent a finding that their current home is unfit, you stand little to no chance of changing things, specially given that this appears to be a dependency case and you're wanting to move them out of state.

[JenniA]

How do I go about finding out who has legal custody/guardianship of them? They are 15 and almost 17 now, if that makes any difference.

[Dogmatique]

To be honest, by the time this would be sorted out in court they'd likely both have aged out.

[JenniA]

Do you think it would be worth the trouble of going through the work of getting a lawyer, and trying to get them? Or should we just wait until they turn 18 and can get out of there themselves.