Legal Question in Family Law in California

abandonment of child?

I have joint custody of my daughter with her father. In august of 2005 he took me to court for custody and vistitation. In January of 2006 he was granted 2 hrs. a week supervised visits due to the fact that he had little enteraction with her and confessed that he had thoughts of suicide after his wife had left him. Since this time he has only seen her about a fourth of his available time. In August of 2006 he stopped his visits. HE has not called at all. He moved and changed his phone number and didn't contact me which is a violation of the order. I have seen him around town a couple of times where we could have spoke but he avoids me at all costs. In about two weeks it will have been 6 months since he has seen or spoke to our daughter. Is this child abandonment? How and do i qualify to charge him with abadonment? Because of this our child has been in theary for about 5 months and they told me she has depression and anxity for which she is now medicated? What can I do to protect our child? I don't want to continute to make excuses for her father. I just want to protect her from any more pain and hurt. What can I do to help her? Thank you sincerely for any help.


Asked on 2/06/07, 11:38 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Lyle Johnson Bedi and Johnson Attorneys at Law

Re: abandonment of child?

The best approach would be to follow up with her therapist and make sure that she knows that you will always be there for her. Also grandparents can be a great source of emotional support to a child in circumstances such this. Also assure her that it is not her fault that he has stopped seeing her.

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Answered on 2/21/07, 7:06 pm


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