Divorcing your child

Good day, and thank you for your time.I will try to sum up a horrible situation in a breif amount of time.

Our 16yr old daughter has been in trouble for over 3 years. She has an extensive run away history (16 times , and has been incarcirated at a level 6 facility. 6 weeks after her release in Sept. she ran into trouble again. SHe skipped school and violated her probation. She was kicked out of school permanetly and as a last option ( to avoid going to a level 8 program) she was entered into the Job Corp program. As part of her probation terms she was to complete the training offered. She ran away again before going to the job corp program and now is on the run. We presume she is with a current boyfriend.

During her runaways she always filed a complaint with CHild Protective services maintaing she was abused at home. Everytime the charges have been unfounded ( this was her effort to take the attention off her and put it onto someone else ) SHe had been staying with her grandparents with our consent, it is very apparent that she does not wish to remain in our home and to be honest, we do not want her to return. We have 3 other children whom we feel she is a danger to and not to mention that the emotional strain has had a huge effect on our family. Our question is since she chooses to run and not live here, is there a way that we will no longer be held responsible for her? Is it possible to turn her into a ward of the state? We are at our wits end and wish to protect ourselves and our children from any further recourse from her actions.

Thank you very much for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

Heather & James Fitzpatrick

Originally posted by Heather Fitzpatrick
Good day, and thank you for your time.I will try to sum up a horrible situation in a breif amount of time.

Our 16yr old daughter has been in trouble for over 3 years. She has an extensive run away history (16 times , and has been incarcirated at a level 6 facility. 6 weeks after her release in Sept. she ran into trouble again. SHe skipped school and violated her probation. She was kicked out of school permanetly and as a last option ( to avoid going to a level 8 program) she was entered into the Job Corp program. As part of her probation terms she was to complete the training offered. She ran away again before going to the job corp program and now is on the run. We presume she is with a current boyfriend.

During her runaways she always filed a complaint with CHild Protective services maintaing she was abused at home. Everytime the charges have been unfounded ( this was her effort to take the attention off her and put it onto someone else ) SHe had been staying with her grandparents with our consent, it is very apparent that she does not wish to remain in our home and to be honest, we do not want her to return. We have 3 other children whom we feel she is a danger to and not to mention that the emotional strain has had a huge effect on our family. Our question is since she chooses to run and not live here, is there a way that we will no longer be held responsible for her? Is it possible to turn her into a ward of the state? We are at our wits end and wish to protect ourselves and our children from any further recourse from her actions.

Thank you very much for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

Heather & James Fitzpatrick

This is such a sad situation and having a 16 yr old that got into some legal trouble last year and almost pushed me to this point, but for some unknown reason has turned his life around I sympathize with you.

If you could provide a state I can search the Jouvenile Delinquency laws for you and provide you with some helpful information. Have you considered having her put into a rehab center? Even if she has not had a drug/alcohol problem they sometimes will take the child. Also, have you spoken to her probation officer? Sometimes they can provide alternatives for you.


I know when my son was on probation and he started pulling some off the wall crap I had them drug test him and the probation officer and I both worked together to make sure he walked a straight line and he realized I wasnt going to stick up for him.