a great friend of mine really needs some help...him and his girlfriend have a four year old son. they r going through a break up and she has made several comments about leaving and not taking her son with her! how long does she have to be out of contact before the father can file abandonment charges???

charlotte234s

I don't think you can file child abandonment charges unless the child is abandoned in a dangerous place or a place with no supervision. If, however, she leaves for more than a few days, I'd say that's grounds for him to go to the courthouse and set up custody and child support hearings and fill out papers.

macksmom

He will have to check the laws in his state....and/or get a free consultation with an attorney.

As soon as the mother leaves and doesn't have contact, I would file with the courts for sole custody.
As far as filing abandonment charges on her...again he would have to check the laws where he lives....for example, in Ohio it is a minimum of 6 months with no contact and no child support.

George Wheeler

My wife has left our home. She has stayed gone for more than a month, leaving me and our two children without knowing where she is staying. She has re-routed her mail to a post office box, and comes into our home when I am working and the kids are in school. Here, in Colorado, what is the timeframe to prove child abandonment?