Child Support And Rights To My Daughter
My daughter is 2 years old. Her father has never paid me a penny for child support nor has he ever wanted to see her. He hasn't even asked to see a picture. The last time I talked to him, he was threatening me and telling me how he was unstable and wanted to die, etc. He isn't on the birth certificate and I don't know where he is, he stopped talking to me and the last time I did talk to him, he said "you and some kid are the least of my worries".
My boyfriend and I have been talking marriage and he said he wanted to adopt her when we got married which I am more than happy to let him since he is the only fathe she has ever known and he has helped support and raise her and she calls him daddy. My question is "Can he adopt her without her father signing away his rights since he isnt on the birth certificate or in her life and I dont know where he is?"
Also, I'm trying to get medicaid and what not for her because I can't afford the insurance through my work and they are saying I need to go after child support before they will considering giving me some help and I need to go to the Department of Revenue. If I do this and they track him down and make him pay, will I have to let him see her? The reason I ask is because I know him and his life revolves around drinking, clubs, sleeping with different women, working out and steroids and I don't want her to be subject to that life. Also would he still have to pay child support if he did sign away his rights? Or would they drop trying to go after him for child support if he signed away his rights?