Hello

My friend was married in 2000. He and his wife had a baby in 2001. She left when the baby was 2 months and he has been taking care of the child by himself every since. She comes around once or twice a year and picks her up. She has had 2 kids since then (just had one a week ago) no job, lives in a 3 bedroom with 2 roommates so her and her children all sleep in the same room. She has no job. They brokw up becase she took his check book and wrote up to $5000 in bad checks. Her mom begged him not to press charges because she'd done the same thing to her own dad and he pressed charges thinking it was someone else and it turned out to be her. So she had a strike. So he just parted ways moved on, never divorced her because she'd neva sign papers and raised their child. This past weekend, she pops up and asks to keep her for her break. He agreed and I packed a bag. He had to work and her and her mom came to get her. Goes upstairs and gets all of her clothes. Calls him the next day and says that she lost her cell phone. And here is the day when she is supposed to be returning because sh ehas school tomorrow and he hasn't heard anything. Doesn't know where she lives, no phone number or anything.

Can he call the police?
Can he file those charges from many years ago?
What can he do?

If they are still married ( no divorce) if there is no custody agreement in place,

The mother still has all the legal rights, so there is nothing at all he can do.

And most likely any charges years ago have ran past the SOL.

He has to hire an attorney ( like he needed to do in 2000.

He will need to file for custody and fight for the right to get custody of the child in court.

You should call the police because a child has gone missing. Once the child is found, then follow Fr_Chuck's advice.