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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    HOUSTON, TEXAS
    Posts
    1

    Default What Can You Do if a Teenage Child Wants a Change of Custody

    My question involves a child custody case from the State of: TEXAS.

    I live in Houston and my daughter and her mother live in Austin, where the court orders are. She is 17yrs old in her last year of school but has for some time wanted to live with me. In one way or another, the mother has isolated her from me throughout the entire 17 years. I rarely see her, the relationship with the mother is non-existent. I tried many times over the years to exercise my visitation rights at a court ordered meeting place, but each time I did, the mother had an excuse not to make it, was extremely late or just flat out did not come. The mother regularly changes the phone numbers and has made it virtually impossible for me to have a healthy relationship with my daughter. I had no other recourse, so I gave up since I don't have big money to get an attorney to file a motion for custody and for non-compliance with the visitation. Shameful yes, but what else can I do, the system is geared for the woman and the rich. That is a bit of frustration coming through, sorry.

    Many times my daughter has called me at work, that is the only way we converse, to tell me of the problems she is having. Physical as well as emotional, I don't want to say abuse, but what other word can I use if not that? Sure they(children) will complain when being disciplined, she is a child and what child has not complained about the tyrant parent (in their minds) when being disciplined. But when I see pictures of physical abuse, been called while police are at the house investigating a fight between the two on multiple occasions, sometimes involving weapons, my spidey sense tingles... I talk with the police and they chalk it up to a mother daughter dispute which happens and they leave. I even went so far as to call CPS in Austin to have them investigate. I inform them of my situation and that the call IS NOT a vindictive one, just a call for help and to ensure that my child is safe and nothing else. Same result nothing, all cases closed. I called CPS three separate times over 5yrs when there was evidence to show.

    That is pretty much the situation, but my questions are:

    What can I do?

    How can I go about doing this, if at all?

    Is there anything that could preclude her from coming to live with me at the age of 17?

    Although we can't afford 3-5k retainer fees and the like, is it possible for me to gain custody and can I do this on my own?

    My wife and I live an active, suburban family life with two children of our own; however, because of my daughter's upbringing we are apprehensive. But, due to the fact that she's a child AND my daughter, we have concluded that we should intervene.

    Please help, I am really scared for my daughter and want what's best for her. The mother has expressed to my daughter that she wants her to leave, but I fear that is just the mother acting out of anger and may fight this if I am able to find a legal footing to make this happen. My daughter has valid fears for her safety and is crying out for help, but no one in an official capacity will entertain her or her story.

    What can I do?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Somewhere near Canada
    Posts
    35,894

    Default Re: What Can You Do if a Teenage Child Wants a Change of Custody

    I think you're being fed a line, but nevertheless you're not going to get this in court before she turns 18 anyway.

    If she runs away, you're on the hook unless you march her straight back to her mother's house.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    3,212

    Default Re: What Can You Do if a Teenage Child Wants a Change of Custody

    Did you get the police officers name and badge number and.call him later at the police station? The reason I ask is because I know of two seperate situations where the teenager had someone call the absent parent and say they were police officers and that they were at the home investigating a problem. The only way the parent knew it was staged was because in both situations the parents called the police station to talk to the officer and found out no one with the id info given worked there.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Somewhere near Canada
    Posts
    35,894

    Default Re: What Can You Do if a Teenage Child Wants a Change of Custody

    Quote Quoting Mercy&Grace
    View Post
    Did you get the police officers name and badge number and.call him later at the police station? The reason I ask is because I know of two seperate situations where the teenager had someone call the absent parent and say they were police officers and that they were at the home investigating a problem. The only way the parent knew it was staged was because in both situations the parents called the police station to talk to the officer and found out no one with the id info given worked there.
    Oh my God I didn't even consider that - shows how long I've not been a teenager!

    (Yep, we even tried that game in England...)

    (No, never worked for us)

    However, I think it's more likely that things aren't quite as bad as OP is being led to believe.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    3,212

    Default Re: What Can You Do if a Teenage Child Wants a Change of Custody

    Dogmatique, I agree it is highly unlikely things are as bad as OP is being lead to believe. That is what made me remember those two situations.

    We never did stuff like that because in my day, you would need CPS if you did. . LOL. Of course there wasn't a CPS back then though.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    854

    Default Re: What Can You Do if a Teenage Child Wants a Change of Custody

    The fact that dad realizes that daughter may be exaggerating things is a good thing, as well as his recognition that her presence in his home may be very disruptive.

    OP, Doggie girl is correct. By the time this is actually heard she will most likely have turned 18, making it a mmor point, and depending on what the order says, if she moves in at 18 the only remaining issue may be child support.

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