Can You Get Supervised Visitation Due to Concerns About a Stepparent

My question involves child abuse or neglect in the State of: Arkansas
I have a son who is now 7, everything started when he was 5. His father has joint custody of him, but has married a woman who when he was five left him alone and he walked a main highway until a police officer found him and called me. She received a child neglect charge. A few months ago he started wetting the bed, but only at their home. He never has bruises or cuts, nothing physical and tells me nothing happens. He cries every time he has to go to his father's though

He has started seeing a therapist ,but won't open up much. I'm just wondering if I could or should try for supervised visitation?

What happened with the child neglect charge?

She got a slap on the wrist pretty much

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I believe she just got a fine.

This is where I think your only realistic option is an attorney.

She received a slap on the wrist 2 years ago, and if nothing was done regarding supervised visitation back then, the court isn't going to entertain it now (the reason for this is quite simple - you didn't move to restrain her from your child at the time, which is essentially a tacit agreement that everything is fine).

If you think your son is undergoing more abuse, counseling is an excellent first step. Unfortunately he's still very young, and it could take awhile for abuse to come out.

With that said, have you talked to Dad about your concerns?

Did you try and modify your court order after this happened?

Darn, doggie beat me to it!

I did remove him from the home then until I had no choice but to let him go back.
He is not allowed to be left alone with her, I have however cought his father allowing it.
And his father takes up for her, says nothing of any sort is going on. Though my son tells me she calls him cuss words and his father and her scream, cuss,and physically fight in front of him.
I'm going to be honest, our town police are a jok . They could honestly care less.

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Also they were not married when she did this two years ago. So he made her move out for about two weeks. The cops made me allow him back over there.
Also she is mentally not stable

I don't care how long they were married. It matters not.

Who said you had no choice?

Is there a restraining order against her? If yes, what did you do when you discovered Dad was letting him be in her care?

Don't blame the police. They're not there to enforce family court orders. Restraining orders on the other hand...

Quote:

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Quoting mbrewer88

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I did remove him from the home then until I had no choice but to let him go back.
He is not allowed to be left alone with her, I have however cought his father allowing it.
And his father takes up for her, says nothing of any sort is going on. Though my son tells me she calls him cuss words and his father and her scream, cuss,and physically fight in front of him.
I'm going to be honest, our town police are a jok . They could honestly care less.

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Also they were not married when she did this two years ago. So he made her move out for about two weeks. The cops made me allow him back over there.
Also she is mentally not stable

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Well, the cops did see your son and picked him up and called you, rather than allowing him to carry on his merry way, so lets give them a little credit eh?

Cops and courts are two different beast. It doesn't sound like you did anything through the court after this happened, is that correct? Did you ever actually file something and try to change the current visitation order with dad based on his choice of his partner? Because, it sounds like your window of opportunity might have closed. Trying to bring up now that she is unstable, barring any recent change of circumstance, won't mean much as two years has passed.

I am not trying to do anything about the past, that was just saying what has happened. No I did not do anything through the court. I know I'm wrong for it. I am now worried about what is going on now. Not then, I gave this woman the benefit of the doubt.now he is wetting the best now he is telling how he feels uncomfortable being there, and now he is seeing a therapist bc of what is happening now. Not then.

Quote:

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Quoting mbrewer88

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I am not trying to do anything about the past, that was just saying what has happened. No I did not do anything through the court. I know I'm wrong for it. I am now worried about what is going on now. Not then, I gave this woman the benefit of the doubt.now he is wetting the best now he is telling how he feels uncomfortable being there, and now he is seeing a therapist bc of what is happening now. Not then.

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You're sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place. You have nothing to suggest that he's being abused or neglected, except for bed-wedding....and if Dad gets smart, he may well try to turn that one on you or put it down to any number of reasons.

(It's not nice, but it wouldn't be the first time a parent has turned to the other and said "Well, Mom, he's fine until he knows he has to go back to you then he wets the bed... what are you doing to him over there? He spends way more time with you.... something must be going on... ")

Attorney. You need one.

And a freebie: I know you're afraid and worried but for the love of God please don't even slightly coach him or ask him leading questions outside of the therapist's office.

Aaaand an afterthought: Did he start school this year?

Yes he turned 7 this July he is going in 2nd grade. And no we never discuss anything without his therapist present. Sometimes he tells me things, but I just listen and tell his therapist what was said. And yes I am stuck. Other than him screaming and bed wetting I have no evidence besides him telling the therapist she is mean. I plan on getting a lawyer. Thank you.

It's possible then, that he's extremely anxious about entering 2nd grade.

Unless you have something tangible, something that you can prove, you're really not going to get anywhere.

Thank you for your help