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CMBagley · Jul 11, 2010, 09:02 AM

My Aunt dropped my cousin of a month ago at my house. When he gets in trouble she wants nothing to do with him. When I call her and ask for her help because he is out of control or to the point that I can not handle him she still refuses to come get him. My cousin is 17 years old and gets a social security check due to the death of his father. As of July 1st my aunt started giving me 50.00 a week for him being here. However, that doesn't even put a dent into his expenses. There has been a few times that my cousin has left my house when he doesn't get his way. He usually then goes to a friends or his ex-girlfriends house. Within a day or two he ends up in some kind of trouble and calls everyone he knows to come get him. However, Im the only one who will. His mother won't even come get him when he's in a place he doesn't need to be. I want to help my cousin but at this point I do not know what to do. Im wondering if I can get my aunt on some kind of child abandonment and maybe even have his social security check sent to me, since I am the one who cares for him. I also feel that he needs counseling, he is a troubled child dealing with a lot. However, my aunt doesn't see things that way. Im almost sure he's on peachcare for kids and sure that he could see a counselor that the insurance will pay for but I do not have any of his stuff, and I'm legally his guardian. I want to help him. I feel I'm all that he has. But what can I do? And we live in GA. I know laws are different for each state. Thanks to anyone who can respond to this post.

JudyKayTee · Jul 11, 2010, 09:40 AM

This is a legal question, not a queston about raising chldren.

No, child abandonment is pretty much leaving him unattended at a bus stop. That is not the case.

CMBagley · Jul 11, 2010, 10:03 AM

I didn't say this was about raising children. I know this is a legal question. I need to know what I can do legally about his mother just dropping him off at my house and doing nothing to support him or even being there for him.

cdad · Jul 11, 2010, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by CMBagley

i didnt say this was about raising children. i know this is a legal question. i need to know what i can do legally about his mother just dropping him off at my house and doing nothing to support him or even being there for him.

If you're the legal guardian then go to court and ask for child support. Where is the dad in all this mess?

CMBagley · Jul 11, 2010, 12:27 PM

His father died when he was 18months old by a drunk driver. And I am not the legal guardian. She won't allow that to happen. However, she just drops him off and doesn't care to here anything else about him. When I call her she says she doesn't care that its my problem because he is at my house. Which is true but he's her child. But then when I start saying things like I won't his social security check to support him then all of the sudden she wants him back. This has been going on and off since January. In January I called the police because she came to my house acting crazy and because my cousin is 17 the police told me that she could actually get me in a lot of trouble because he is still a minor. Even if she brings him to my house or gives him permission to be here. The whole situation is a little crazy. She only wants him when she feels like she's about to loose his check. I was thinking I could get her for child abandonment but I feel the second I try and attempt to do something with the law she could turn everything on me. The police in January has already told me that she could do this if she wanted. I just want to help my cousin because he is very troubled and needs someone to show they care and be there for him. I think that's why he acts out a lot. The first person he calls is his mother when he gets in trouble or wants to go back to her house but she just tells him no and hangs up. I'm in my mid twenties with a toddler of my own. I want to make sure my basis are covered. I don't want my cousin to end up dead or in serious trouble. I just feel like my hands are tied and don't know what to do!

ScottGem · Jul 11, 2010, 02:46 PM

First, you are new to this site, so you may want to read up more about how to use it. It looks like you originally posted this in the Children forum, not Family Law which prompted Judy's comment.

The Family Law forum has a sticky note at the top that deals with the issue of child abandonment. Your situation does not qualify.

You made a mistake calling the police, you should have called children's services. Or you could just tell your aunt you can't afford to care for your cousin and he has to go home with her.

Your other choice is to go to court for guardianship.

JudyKayTee · Jul 12, 2010, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by CMBagley

i didnt say this was about raising children. i know this is a legal question. i need to know what i can do legally about his mother just dropping him off at my house and doing nothing to support him or even being there for him.

You posted this on the children's board, not the legal board. I had it moved to the legal board.

What do you want to do? Support him? Get custody?

I any event you will have to go to Court, file a Petition for whatever relief it is that you are requesting, serve the party with custody.