what can we do to help?

[friend of the child]

We are friends of the child in question. He has serious problems with the stepmother. The custodial father does not seem to want to intervene in his new wife's abuse of his son. The child is being emotionally abused constantly. The stepmother will not allow him to visit his mother (for any reason she can think of) and she talks ugly and cruelly about his mother to any and everyone, in front of the boy. Her behavior is seriously erratic and disfunctional. He is always being punished for some ridiculous infraction. (He frowned. He got punished. etc.) He is 15 and is trying desperately to remain sane in an increasingly insane environment. His mother is going thru a hard time financially but she is a hard worker and is emotionally stable. She loves her son and wants to have him back with her. She has no money for a lawyer to fight for her son and does not know what she can do. Her love for her son is the only thing keeping him going, the only thing that helps him survive this terrible situation. How can we help?

 

[usdeeper]

The only way you can help is financially. That is to pay for an attorney to file for a change of custody on the grounds of abuse. At 15, the child will probably get a chance to speak and providing he does not exaggerate, a judge would consider his request.

Also, if the bio dad is refusing to obey a court ordered visitation schedule then that is more reason to proceed.

I may get beat for suggesting this.. but another option, if the child is strong, is to pack his bags and go live with his mother. Yes, the biodad can file a police report, yes the police will come knocking on the biomom door.. but this is where the child needs to be strong and inform the police of the abuse and that he is not leaving. The biomom needs to step back and not interfere or it will be seen that she is stopping him and it may go against her in court..