Un-married stay-at-home infant dad fighting for custody
Ok so this is what's going on. My daughter's mother and I have been happily together for 4 years. We started as high school sweethearts. When she became pregnant, she moved from her parents mobile home, into my parents apartment with me. My daughter's mother, gave birth to my daughter at age 18, I was 20. The baby came home from the hospital to live with ,my parents, my daughter's mother, and me. About 2 months after my daughter's birth, her mother began a full time career. She was young, smart, and, motivated. She is also pursuing further education. I, not intrested in career or further education, began to raise our infant daughter daily from 8 Am to about 7Pm. I would change, bathe, feed, and care for her. When the infant's mother would return from work, she would often take my daughter to see her maternal grandmother and maternal stepgrandfather, or so she said. As I later found out, she was quite often dropping the baby off with them and going out, until midnite or later. We continued like this, until my daughter was about 4 months. I was watching my daughter as usual, when me and her mother had a small argument. My daughters mother, then took off to work with my child and never returned. I later found out, and have proof, was that she left me for another man that was living with her parents. She brought over my child once about 2 days after taking off with her, so I could be with my child while her mother worked. While my daughter's mother was at work, I confronted her about this "man" and asked if that was why she was leaving me and taking my child. She responded with the police, and her peeved off family at my door demanding the child. I refused, and the next day she filed for an emergency relief. She claimed that I constantly abuse drugs and have an anger problem. Needless to say she was denied. Later on that same day, my father was outside with my child in his arms. My child's mother and maternal grandmother, knocked him on the ground, and began attempting to rip my daughter from his arms. My father let go to aviod serious injury to the child. I filed for a protective order against domestic abuse for my daughter, against her mother, and my father filed assault charges against the child's mother and maternal grandmother. My child's mother has now, filed for full custody and is asking me for child support and suppervised visitation, even though I was taking care of our daughter and completely dependent on my daughters mother for finanical support. I can provide my daughter with a smoke-free, drug-free, abuse-free home. I am member of an american indian tribe and have a $50,000 + trust fund for when I'm 21. This Indian tribe could also provide my daughter with, $8,000 - $10,000 per capita check a year for life, and free schooling through her life. I have several missdemenor convictions, caused by a troubled time in my early adult life. I have now and have been, since my daughters first cry, dedicated my life to my child. My child's mother, on the other hand has been arrested for drugs with my daughter in the same car. She is now in a drug diversion program, which will sted the drug charge after completion. My child's mother also has a very big, and close family, determined to threaten me, scare me, and lie about me, anything to receive full custody. The child's maternal family has a history of alcohol, drug, sex abuse. My questions are: What is my next step, how can I protect myself from false accusations ,how can I increase my chance of a continued and meaningful relationship with my infant daughter, and what is the best way to go about ensuring my daughter will have the best life possible.