My Kids Step Mother Had Kids Empty Their Savings Accounts

[firemom50]

My question involves a child custody case from the State of: California.
Hello everyone. I just found out that my kids 12,and 10 step mother took them to there bank on three separate occasions and had them empty there accounts that I opened for them. Over $1200.00 between the two of them!
I have been working with the bank since i did explain to the bank when i opened them that if given the chance my ex husband would take there money. In the end the bank opened the wrong kind of accounts.
Since this day i also have looked up my 12 year old daughters my space. turns out that she was allowed to say that she is 16 years old and included a variety of pictures that were not suitable for a 12 year old, along with the pictures there was a cartoon of a stripper, and the word SEXY written all over the cover page along with pictures of stiletto heels!! And her description was all about how she just wants a boy to hold and kiss her!! I later found out that it was her step moms 18 year old daughter that post all of this information for her, that my ex husband knew about this page and might i add that the court has twice said my kids are not allowed to be left alone with her. ( I have now deleted the page)
I have been threw the ringer since this woman has come into there lives, we have a court order already but my ex husband violates it when ever he feels. such as changing there doctor with out my knowledge or consent, repeated bad talk about me, bribing the kids with toys and cloths if they dont come with me for the weekend...The new thing is sending me harassing letters in the mail and having my 12 year old read them first.
I cant afford another attorney, but something needs to be done, I dont want to walk in there and look stupid for making big deals over nothing or punished for waisting the courts time. Do i have grounds to go back? I am hoping that the court will finally see that my ex husband is despritly trying to alienate me from the kids and that his wife flat out should not be left alone with them on the grounds of emotional and passibly physical harm.
Does any one agree or am i just crazy?

[525601minutes]

Whose names and social security number's were attached to your kid's bank accounts?

[mrshiggins]

If he's violating the court order you can bring him back to court for contempt. I would then bring the letters to the court for evidence and if your county allows it the mediator will question the children after talking to the parents. Bribing them i don't think will hold up in court, there's no way you can prove this. As for the myspace and drs, I'd put a clause in the new modified court order that you must know about things like this or that she can't have an account until she is ___ years old. If you can I would print out the myspace pictures and profile to bring for evidence... showing how inappropriate it was. As well as the bank accounts, but if they are allowed to withdraw money I don't think there is anything you can do about it. We have an account for my step son where my husband is the only one to withdraw money. They wouldn't even let two adults on there, just one parent. Good luck... document everything!

[firemom50]

What happened was when I went to the bank i told them very specifically that there father would take the money if he could so make it where he couldnt with out me...they said ok...handed us the little savings book and we left. Come to find out that the bank opened regular savings account for them with no restrictions, so when the step mom found out about all the money she went down there and had the kids give there info to pull the money! The kids said that she bought them cloths and stuff with the money but, over $600.00 each!? I dont think so...and ive never even seen one new out fit, toy or hat.

I know i can go back with contempt but how do i word it? shes a lier, a thief, and i dont want her left alone with the kids..well thats what i want to say, but dont think the court would respond very well to that.

any suggestions on how to word my statements?

[525601minutes]

What happened was when I went to the bank i told them very specifically that there father would take the money if he could so make it where he couldnt with out me...they said ok...handed us the little savings book and we left. Come to find out that the bank opened regular savings account for them with no restrictions...

You have not answered my questions.
Go LOOK at your kid's bank statements and/or passbooks.
WHOSE names are on the accounts and WHOSE social security numbers were used?

[mrshiggins]

Just because she lies to you or manipulated your kids into withdrawing their money doesn't mean that she's an immediate threat to them. You can ask for it saying something of the sort that it's not in their best interest to have her around, but if she lives with the father and hasn't harmed the children, most likely this won't go through. Just because you don't like the step mom doesn't mean you get to dictate their lives.

As for the money, I would go down and speak with the branch manager and tell them the problem... you may have a civil suit there... speak to a pro bono attorney about that if they don't do anything. And I would also answer 525601's questions, those are big when it comes to withdrawing money. I worked in banks for almost 3 years, I know a bit about things like that....

[firemom50]

Believe me this is not the only instance, not even the only one lately. She has punished my son more than a step parent should on numerous occasions, and i have reported it, but there's never any marks and they just call him a lier because he has ADHD!
I have been working with the bank for a few days now and still no where.
Maybe its me but teaching children to lie, (not just this time) and allow them to do wrong is not setting a good example.
I did try to like this lady for a long time....she didnt want to get along, i was her husbands ex wife, so from the start she hated me.

SORRY i thought i made it clear that its ALL under the kids information. The bank did NOT open the correct kind of accounts that i asked for.
And yes i did print and also download every thing from her my space, before i deleted every thing. I also printed the copy's of her emails back and forth from her and my ex husband that shows he knew about the pictures and the content. I have saved everything for the past 5 years, and taken notes.

[525601minutes]

I honestly don't know why you can not answer a single question in a manner that is straightforward and to the point. It does not matter what kind of account you INTENDED to open for your children. No one will be able to provide you with any sort of legal advice without knowing how the accounts were ACTUALLY owned. I give up.

[mrshiggins]

So the bank is in all their names? I don't think that is possible. A child (under the age of 18) cannot open up an account by themselves; they must have an adult on the account with them. And if they opened up an account where they would be able to withdraw money themselves without the consent of the other person on the account, then I don't think there is anything you can do.

Maybe you need to speak to your children and tell them that you are upset that they drained their accounts. You said step mom bought clothes for them, ask the children why they need to buy clothes with their own money. Were they in need of clothes or was it a fun experience? Plus, your children are old enough to know the difference between right and wrong; maybe they wanted to go blow the money on things they wanted. Not saying it's the smartest thing, but children don't think of their consequences.

If father is in contempt of court, bring him back. Bring all the documents as evidence in your declarations. If there is no marks on your childrens bodies, most likely your punishing a child and step mom punishing a child are different. CPS agencies don't do much for just a simple disagreement between discipline. They have bigger fish to fry.

Again, just go back to court and voice your concerns WITHOUT putting the father down! Very hard to do, but it'll look bad on you if you are just sitting there and degrading the father.

[firemom50]

The bank put me down as a "beneficiary" only...she did not put the account as joint, only a kids savings account. with no authorization required.
I am waiting for a call back from the "office of the president" of the bank today since i have been fighting this, so well see what happens? As you i did not think it was possible for a 10 year old to walk in and withdraw $600.00 cash!
It is in our court order that he pay for all of there school cloths, we used to split it but the last time we went to court for asked to claim both on his taxes, since he has them %51 they gave it to him, but with that he provides all school cloths and supplies. he also asked for child support and $700.00 worth of medical bills that not only were two years old but i proved that most were false, made up and some he submitted were even MY receipts from days i took the kids to the doctor!! This was all done indirectly to me, i know that sounds crazy and like im bitter but really thats not the case. Every week is something new. Most revolves around money...when he wasnt granted child support, or any back money he has done every thing from make up bills to take the kids to different doctors just to bill me for them. He has said he had to fill our sons prescription twice in one month(ADHD meds) and when i found that out to not be true he just comes up with something else.
I offered to help with school cloths because i know he is financial trouble but his pride was to big, instead he does these things. But they definitely dont go with out.
Oh and yes of course the kids no right from wrong and they did hear it, of course they want to blow the money, who wouldnt, but part of the savings accounts was to be able to teach them to save, and when they turn 18 help with a car, or books for school, something responsible. He maybe in financial trouble but hes also not broke, but if he was why have them blow all of it, why not just $100.00, $200.00 was it necessary to let them spend $600.00!!each... This is my problem. Im trying to raise good trust worthy people here, and im being fought every step of the way.