What is the name of your state? Florida
I'll try to make this long story short. I am a custodial stepmother. Hubby and I (and stepdaughter) have been discussing the possiblity of my adopting my 7 year old stepdaughter. Her mother has abandoned her...ie no contact since April, no child support paid, and has moved at least once that we know of, but we have no address. How would we go about starting the adoption process? And would her mother's abandonment constitute her being an "unfit parent"? We have no clue about where her bio mom is, and neither does the state of FL. Things are fine as they are right now, but SD is wanting to call me Mom and the divorce decree states that we can't allow that...it's hard to tell her that she can't do that when I have been the "mother figure" for 2 years now.
I'll try to make this long story short. I am a custodial stepmother. Hubby and I (and stepdaughter) have been discussing the possiblity of my adopting my 7 year old stepdaughter. Her mother has abandoned her...ie no contact since April, no child support paid, and has moved at least once that we know of, but we have no address. How would we go about starting the adoption process? And would her mother's abandonment constitute her being an "unfit parent"? We have no clue about where her bio mom is, and neither does the state of FL. Things are fine as they are right now, but SD is wanting to call me Mom and the divorce decree states that we can't allow that...it's hard to tell her that she can't do that when I have been the "mother figure" for 2 years now.