16 Year Old Pregnant and Needs to Know Her Rights

[BluEyeSheDevl]

My question involves juvenile law in the State of: Tennessee

I'm hoping Im putting this in the right place. I have a niece who is 16 years old. She is now 8 months pregnant by a 19 year old man. The unborn baby's father is still in the picture.They are wanting to get married once she finishes high school. My niece's father is trying to make her sign ths right of the baby to him (her father not the baby's father). Her father is now making daily threats to her about signing the baby over. He tells her if she doesnt do it then they will put the baby's father in jail. I could be wrong on this but I thought Tennessee had a 4 year age differnce law. But My neice is scared to death of her father. Her father has always been abusive to his children. Since she is pregnant, he has not hit her, but he makes threats to her. He and his new wife are now limiting my niece food intake. If they feel she has eaten enough, they take her plate away and throw out whats left on it and send her to her room. She calls me panicing and scared! I dont know what i can do to help. What rights does this poor girl have over her own baby? Can her father actually make her sign the baby over to him and his new wife. I feel he is only doing this to keep the baby away from my niece's biological mother (the baby's rightful grandmother, who happens to be my sister). Thanks for any help!

[BluEyeSheDevl]

i completely agree with you on that. Glad this isnt my daughter. I hope Im raising my daughter better then that, but I cant say the same on my niece. I need to know what Rights she has over her own baby. my niece will be 17 two weeks after the baby is born. And the father just turned 19. There isnt acually 3 years between the father and her. More like 2 1/2 years. Which wouldnt be bad if they were both of age. But it's part of the problem at this point. She's honestly thinking about signing over the baby to stop Her own father from trying to press charges on the boy. To me he should have already done it. Not wait 8 months and trying to hold this over this poor girls head!

[LawResearcherMissy]

Can her father actually make her sign the baby over to him and his new wife.

No.

He can threaten all he likes, but in order to get the child away from her, he'd have to sue and prove that she's not fit to care for the child. He doesn't just get to stomp his foot and say "Give me the baby!". Doesn't work that way.

With respect to her father pressing charges, it seems TN is a state with a Romeo and Juliet exemption:

39-13-506. Statutory rape.Statute text

(a) Statutory rape is sexual penetration of a victim by the defendant or of the defendant by the victim when the victim is at least thirteen (13) but less than eighteen (18) years of age and the defendant is at least four (4) years older than the victim.

(b) If the person accused of statutory rape is under eighteen (18) years of age, such a defendant shall be tried as a juvenile and shall not be transferred for trial as an adult.

(c) Statutory rape is a Class E felony. 39-13-507.

[Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1990, ch. 980, § 4; 1994, ch. 719, § 1.]

http://www.ageofconsent.com/tennessee.htm

There's a two and a half year age difference, not a four year age difference, so it's doubtful much would come out of it beyond a restraining order.