Unsuitable Living Conditions for Children

[georgia_matt05]

Indiana

My 3 children live with their mother in Indiana along with the mother's boyfriend and the 2 other children the mother has with her boyfriend. My ex-wife had told me during a previous conversation that a house across the street flooded and it ran down to their house and they found mold in their house. They have a pier and beam house, so they proceeded to start doing some remodeling to their house. That started in October and it is now December and the remodeling is still going on and I was informed by my youngest daughter that when they go to the bathroom, they have to walk through mud to get to the bathroom. My oldest daughter told me that part of the floor is covered up but only with plastic. As I previously stated, my ex-wife has my 3 children and 2 with her boyfriend in this little old 2 bedroom house that is 2 months into being remodeled and I worry about their well being especially now that it's winter. I have called CPS before because her boyfriend was hitting my kids and CPS found no problems in the household. I've even called code enforcement re. the house because last winter my daughter had told me that they had just caught their 23rd rat in the house, but they found no problems either except for the fact that they wouldn't live there themselves. I have an attorney in Indiana and have gone to court 3 times trying to fight for custody of my children, but have been unsuccessful. I just want to know what I can do about the situation that they are living in now. If someone can give me some sort of advice, it would be greatly appreciated. My children deserve much better than what they are receiving and I feel that my wife and I can give it to them, but without knowing all the proper people to call, it just gets hard and frustrating.

[Antigone]

Call CPS again.

[Xena]

Indiana

My 3 children live with their mother in Indiana along with the mother's boyfriend and the 2 other children the mother has with her boyfriend. My ex-wife had told me during a previous conversation that a house across the street flooded and it ran down to their house and they found mold in their house. They have a pier and beam house, so they proceeded to start doing some remodeling to their house. That started in October and it is now December and the remodeling is still going on and I was informed by my youngest daughter that when they go to the bathroom, they have to walk through mud to get to the bathroom. My oldest daughter told me that part of the floor is covered up but only with plastic. As I previously stated, my ex-wife has my 3 children and 2 with her boyfriend in this little old 2 bedroom house that is 2 months into being remodeled and I worry about their well being especially now that it's winter. I have called CPS before because her boyfriend was hitting my kids and CPS found no problems in the household. I've even called code enforcement re. the house because last winter my daughter had told me that they had just caught their 23rd rat in the house, but they found no problems either except for the fact that they wouldn't live there themselves. I have an attorney in Indiana and have gone to court 3 times trying to fight for custody of my children, but have been unsuccessful. I just want to know what I can do about the situation that they are living in now. If someone can give me some sort of advice, it would be greatly appreciated. My children deserve much better than what they are receiving and I feel that my wife and I can give it to them, but without knowing all the proper people to call, it just gets hard and frustrating.

As Antigone said, call CPS again.
In addition, if you have not called code enforcement for the flooding/mold issue, be sure to call them.

If CPS and code enforcement both find no problems, you'll have to accept that until you can gather absolute proof that the children are in danger.

[mrshiggins]

As Antigone and Xena have said, along with maybe trying to get modifications when possible... every six months or whatever Indiana's rules are.
Document everything that you are told by the kids and mother and what you personally witness.
Stay in contact with your children on a daily basis.
Take all your visitation.