My question involves a child custody case from the State of Rhode Island
On April 21, 2012; I left my abusive boyfriend in Rhode Island. I took our 16-month-old daughter and fled to a woman’s shelter in Rhode Island. From there I travelled back home via bus and arrived in Oklahoma on the 23rd. This is where my family lives. Additionally, my daughter was born in Oklahoma and spent the first five months there as an infant in my mothers home.
On April 30th, the Pittsburg county police came to my door with court orders to pick up my daughter and deliver her to her father waiting nearby. He has never taken care of her other than an hour a day if that and he immediately delivered our daughter to his disabled mother once he returned to RI. His mother also has a license to smoke marijuana due to her disabilities.
The Rhode Island court date is May 9th. He knows I have no funds or way of returning to RI on this date.
Is there any way I can request the court to postpone the temporary hearing date set for May 9th due to my current situation? These people are manipulative enough to tell my mother that RI will arrest me upon arriving to court. Also, my daughter’s father works directly with a RI State and city police officer.
I want to attend court on the date provided, but CAN NOT. What will happen if I don’t show up? Can I reopen a custody case when I am able to return? Also, when I did an online search for contact information for the judge (McCann) on the papers I was served; most of the return results were all about his corruption on other family law cases.
Any information you can help me with would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for reading my story.

