Need Urgent Help on Custody in the State of Maryland

[luvmyboys]

What is the name of your state?[Maryland FONT=Lucida Console]undefined[/font]What is the name of your state I am very distressed. I have been cohabitating with the father of my two youngest baby boys for six years. During this time, he has been physically but mostly emotionally, mentally and finacially abusive. I now want to leave ASAP but he threatens that because I have prescribed anti-anxiety medications, etc. that he will obtain custody of our beautiful babies. They are special needs children and I am formally educated in this field as well as experienced professionally. Further, I have been their sole care-taker re: their diagnosis, treatment, etc. since birth. I need to go quickly. Does anyone have an idea what the law is in Maryland? Does anyone now have custody since it has never been established. We were never formally married.

[BelizeBreeze]

Leave and that the children with you to the nearest women's shelter.
Then get help for your dependency.

[libracindy45]

I was in the same situation with the father of my two boys, whom I was not married to, and was with him for six years. We lived in Illinois and Missouri, so I do know every state has help for abused woman to help them get back on there feet. He was very verbally and physically abusive to me. I had to protect my boys from him, so I went to a woman's shelter I then filed an ex parte at the courthouse stating that I was afraid for the safety of my children. And then I went to legal aid and got a lawyer through them for free and got them to establish paernity and got child support and full custody of my children. Don't believe him about him getting custody of the children, he's just using a scare tactic on you. Most judges give custody of young children to the mother. Especially since you have been there primary care giver. I also am taking medications for depression and anxiety, and I'm seeing a counselor. The shelter can help you with many of these issues for help. They also do not disclose the location of where the shelter is at, so you will be completely safe. They deal with this everyday and know all of the loopholes concerning the legal issues, of where and who to talk to get help and get you back on your feet. And most states have housing help, and can get you into a home, and they go by your income, even if you have no income, like OACAC, HUD, etc. Get out now ASAP, believe me it won't get better, it will just get worse. It was the best thing I could have ever done for myself and my children.

[luvmyboys]

Thanks for your answer. Made me feel so much better. The only difficulty is that in my county in Maryland, you have to be beat beyond recognition to get into a shelter :-) but I will do my research and see if their is a possibility for any other immediate housing. Also, thanks for the suggestion on legal aid for the free legal advice. Hope you and babes are doing well. I am so lonely and no one understands. Everyone wants me to stay and fix him and then everything will be fine. To my detriment, I've been trying to fix him for six years. Police said that they are afraid if they come one more time one of us will leave in a body bag. Thanks...you've given me hope.

[stealth2]

contact the Nat'l Domestic Violence Hotline - the 800 number can be found at [url]www.ndvh.org[/url] - they can steer you to local resources.