Legal Question in Family Law in New York
child willed to the unwilling
A couple of weeks ago a mother died, and left her fourteen month old son to a couple that no longer live together. They do not want or can not take responsibility for the child. The child has surrviving relatives. How can the couple decline the acceptance of said child?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: child willed to the unwilling
If the child does not want to care for the child, they have no obligation to do so, if there are surviving relatives that are willing to care for the child whichever surviving relative is willing can simply pick up the child and take custody, then they can start adoption proceedings. If there is no one willing to care for this child the best thing to do is to inform child protective services and the child will likely become a ward of the state.
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