My daughter and boyfriend live in Florida and I in Illinois.they are drug addicts and sent my granddaughter who is 3 to Illinois to visit and said they were coming with but didn't.how do I get temporary custody of her until they get their lives straightened out.

You will need an Attorney experienced with Family Court matters. Can you PROVE that the parents are a danger to the child in some way - emotionally, physically?

I am not going to offer any legal advice for you,but I will offer a perspective on the enabling factor involved in this.

By taking temporary custody,you are making it so your daughter and boyfriend don't have to be responsible for the child's welfare,and this is setting a precedent in the child's life.This will be the way they(the child in question) see relationships,thinking this is normal.

This not only takes the child to be out of a 'difficult' situation which you are now thrust into being the responsible 'parent figures',but it makes it so the mother and father figures are not going to be a permanent fixture in this child's development.(unless this is made permanent)

In my opinion,I would suggest you get permanent,full time custody.For the child's sake.

I have to disagree a bit with KBC. You need to get temporary GUARDIANSHIP of your grandchild, if you plan on keeping her for any length of time. This is so you can authorize medical care and other things that only the legal parent can authorize.

Whether you go for guardianship, custody or adoption, you will need to prove conclusively that the parents are a danger to the child. This may be difficult to do and you need to be prepared to do so before you file any court action.

I would have to conclude that
sent my granddaughter who is 3 to Illinois to visit and said they were coming with but didn't. says much towards the 'danger factor' you are referring to, abandonment and 'sending' a 3 year old(by who know how,alone?) on a trip X miles from her home,, and not being there for the care and welfare of this child.

Again,just my opinion.

I meant to comment on that point and forgot. I don't know of ANY airline that would allow a 3 yr old to travel unaccompanied. Someone had to be with the child all the time. So maybe the parents couldn't get away and paid someone to accompany the child.

I meant to comment on that point and forget. I don't know of ANY airline that would allow a 3 yr old to travel unaccompanied. Someone had to be with the child all the time. So maybe the parents couldn't get away and paid someone to accompany the child.


Correct - very possibly someone flew with the child. I can't imagine putting a 3 year old on a plane alone and waving good-bye.

If the child flew alone that still does not constitute legal abandonment.

Hopefully OP will come back and give us the answer and more info.

I meant to comment on that point and forgot. I don't know of ANY airline that would allow a 3 yr old to travel unaccompanied. Someone had to be with the child all the time. So maybe the parents couldn't get away and paid someone to accompany the child.

Perhaps the poster will return to explain the situation soon, I hope so.