I have a friend who has two kids. She left them in the care of her sister for a night and then her parents wanted to keep the children the next night to take them to church the next morning. (She has lived with her parents with the children for a couple of months). When she went to come home her parents told her that until she got a job and got on her feet that they wanted to keep the kids. I told her to be careful because they could say she abandoned the kids. She wants to get them but won't have anywhere to stay with them. What can she do and how long of leaving her kids would they consider child abandonment in the state of Florida?

This is at the very head of this message board - https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/family-law/child-abandonment-read-first-364259.html

Why doesn't she just get her kids? Are her parents going to kick her out if she does? Abandonment mean that she left them without means of survival. Like in a hot car alone. Or on a street cirner alone. Etc. If her parents are watching the children for her then its not abandonment.

They told her that she can't live there anymore because of her not having a job but that they would keep the kids for her until she got on her feet. I'm just scared that they will turn around and say that she abandoned them.

I was just making sure that her parents couldn't turn around and report that she abandoned the children because they don't want her living at the home anymore and they want to keep the kids until she gets on her feet. So I just wanted to make sure that they couldn't report that she abandoned them (because she's not living with them).

They told her that she can't live there anymore because of her not having a job but that they would keep the kids for her until she got on her feet. I'm just scared that they will turn around and say that she abandoned them.

What they can do is apply for custody. They can be the guardian for the children and then she would have to fight for her rights back. Where is the father in all this?

Can they consider it neglect?

The father has not seen nor provided any support for the children in over 8 months. When she calls him he doesn't answer the phone and he only calls every couple of months to check on the kids.

The father has not seen nor provided any support for the children in over 8 months. When she calls him he doesn't answer the phone and he only calls every couple of months to check on the kids.


Did you read the info I posted? Again, no, this is not abandonment.

Please post your replies to this thread, not the sticky note.

Her parents have no legal right to keep the kids. However, they can go to family services for temporary guardianship. If they can prove that the mother doesn't have means to care for them.

Your friend needs to get a job so she can care for the kids. She should also write a letter to the parents telling them they do not have her permission to keep the children.

Okay thank you I will tell her all of this information. I really appreciate it and she will to. She's so distraught over all of this.

Thank you this information does help a lot. I will let her know and she will be very grateful. She's so distraught over all of this!