Custody of a 17 year old from mother to aunt

[Deadlyinheels]

What is the name of your state? Louisiana . Hi, I'm a 17 year old female living with my mother. From the time I was very young until I was in 8th grade my mother would both physically and verbally abuse me. I am now a juinor (11th grade) in highschool and I can't take the emotional/verbal abuse anymore. It gravelly depresses me and I cry on a regular basis.
When I was in 6th grade my teachers notified the Child Protection Agencies here in my city, Shreveport, as well as my father. When they arrived at my house and asked me if anything was wrong I was too afraid to say anything because my mother was beside me. My dad passed away December 9,2012 and left his sister beneficiary over me in his will.
Since my fathers departure I have no relief from my mother and she has become increasingly more abusive towards me. And dosnt allow me to leave the house except for school, and I am not allowed to work, have a boyfriend, among other things. She constantly reminds me of my fathers death cruelly which is still fresh by it being 10 months later. She also had her brother, who has been in jail many times,to attack me physically leaving bruises on my arms which I have pictures of. This was 4 months ago.
My aunt has agreed to get custody of me, but I was skeptical on if it would work out in my favor. I understand that by my being 17,I have leverage in my choice on where I live ,but my aunt lives in San Antonio,Texas and I am in Shreveport,Louisiana . My mother has a steady job as well as my aunt but my mother rarely provides food for the household. I was just wondering how the case would work and how would my aunt go about starting the process. Thankyou for your time.

 

[Deadlyinheels]

I apologize for the Chunk paragraph, I am on a phone and I tried to indent

 

[t74]

First thing tomorrow, go to see the counselor or social worker at your school. If there is no counselor available, seek out the principal overseeing student services. They will be able to put you in touch with the proper authorities. You are not the first student in your school with this type of issue.

Since you have already experienced physical abuse, the most important thing right now is your safety; everything else is secondary.

You should consider speaking with people at the domestic violence or child abuse hotline.

If you experience or fear abuse before getting to speak to a counselor, call the police. Do not remain in a potentially dangerous situation.

The attorney that posts to the forum may have additional suggestions on your original question. However, since you have been physically hurt already, your situation is more serious than waiting for your aunt to go through the courts as you are proposing.

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state? Louisiana . Hi, I'm a 17 year old female living with my mother. From the time I was very young until I was in 8th grade my mother would both physically and verbally abuse me. I am now a juinor (11th grade) in highschool and I can't take the emotional/verbal abuse anymore. It gravelly depresses me and I cry on a regular basis.
When I was in 6th grade my teachers notified the Child Protection Agencies here in my city, Shreveport, as well as my father. When they arrived at my house and asked me if anything was wrong I was too afraid to say anything because my mother was beside me. My dad passed away December 9,2012 and left his sister beneficiary over me in his will.
Since my fathers departure I have no relief from my mother and she has become increasingly more abusive towards me. And dosnt allow me to leave the house except for school, and I am not allowed to work, have a boyfriend, among other things. She constantly reminds me of my fathers death cruelly which is still fresh by it being 10 months later. She also had her brother, who has been in jail many times,to attack me physically leaving bruises on my arms which I have pictures of. This was 4 months ago.
My aunt has agreed to get custody of me, but I was skeptical on if it would work out in my favor. I understand that by my being 17,I have leverage in my choice on where I live ,but my aunt lives in San Antonio,Texas and I am in Shreveport,Louisiana . My mother has a steady job as well as my aunt but my mother rarely provides food for the household. I was just wondering how the case would work and how would my aunt go about starting the process. Thankyou for your time.

Very simply, unless there is proof of abuse or your mother agrees to your aunt having custody, you're going to be living where Mom says.

 

[quincy]

For additional details not included in this thread, you can check out the close-to-triplicate thread Deadlyinheels started in Juvenile law (I believe another one, tacked on to a 2004 thread, was deleted):

https://forum.freeadvice.com/juvenile-law-90/17-year-old-runaway-move-out-600641.html

 

[Ladyback1]

Very simply, unless there is proof of abuse or your mother agrees to your aunt having custody, you're going to be living where Mom says.

unless of course, mom is found to be unfit/abusive....

 

[Proserpina]

unless of course, mom is found to be unfit/abusive....

Did you actually read what I posted?

Do try.

 

[Deadlyinheels]

Thank you I will think about going to the counselor tomorow. My counselor from last year knows about the abuse but I begged her not to take action because I was afraid of a foster home. THankyou to all of you who posted

 

[commentator]

Okay, do not start all this drama about "I'm afraid of a foster home" at the same time you're saying you can't stay with your mom another moment. Either your situation is so bad you want out of it, regardless of whether you get the placement you want, or you are over-dramatizing, you could possibly stand things until you are eighteen, but you're telling yourself this just because you really really are frustrated and want to change your situation.

This whole "she got my uncle to be physically abusive" thing sounds very strange. And it happened to you four months ago. Obviously, it's not current, you didn't go to someone right then, you didn't feel so endangered that you could not tolerate it, and it didn't happen again.

Okay, she is yelling and screaming at you a lot. Is this random yelling and screaming, or are you two fighting, possibly about your wanting to spend all your time with your boyfriend's family? Remember, regardless of your wants and feelings, she does have the right to tell you not to see this boy, not to leave the house, she can take your electronics, control your personal life, say where you can go and what you can do. It goes with being under 18. Your aunt could do the same thing. Your mother may be a sick bad mean person, very hard to deal with. I understand that. But then, how do you know that life would be better with your aunt?

I know you have had a sad time and a trauma, that the losing your father must have been very hard and sad for you. But please remember, crying constantly isn't an issue, it's something you are chosing to do, regardless of your situation.
Keep in mind, too, that "my aunt is in San Antonio, I am..." somewhere else (Shreveport) in school, we assume....Remember, if the court were to suddenly approve and give your aunt custody, you'd be moving, right away, to a new place, new school, no boyfriend, no friends....in other words, how badly do you want this? Are you sure?

Aging out is a very real proposition to kids in the juvenile foster care situation. They live for the day, if they are not in a good placement. Upside is you are on your own. And when you age out, no one else is responsible for you. You are obliged to get a job, get your own place, pay your bills, provide your own transportation, buy your own food, and get your own insurance and phones, etc. You say your mother "won't let me work" but that must mean she is providing your basic needs while you stay in school. Are you really really sure you aren't able to stand it for a few more months?

 

[Ladyback1]

Did you actually read what I posted?

Do try.

Sorry, I did misread it. My apologies. I assume you've never misread anything

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Another teenager who feels she is abused because mommy wont let her date or run wild.

 

[stealth2]

and I am not allowed to work, have a boyfriend, among other things.

and my boyfriend's parents

So... which is it? You're not allowed to have a boyfriend, or you have one (which means you're allowed to have one)?

 

[justalayman]

My dad passed away December 9,2012 and left his sister beneficiary over me in his will.

seriously? Like chattel?

Sorry but your dad cannot leave you to his sister in his will. As long as your mother lives and the state does not remove you from her home, your mother has custody of you.

She also had her brother, who has been in jail many times,to attack me physically leaving bruises on my arms which I have pictures of.

and the police said what when you called them to report the assault?

My aunt has agreed to get custody of me, but I was skeptical on if it would work out in my favor. I understand that by my being 17,I have leverage in my choice on where I live

that may be but it only applies in deciding between your mother and your father. Your aunt has no rights here, regardless of what your father put in his will.

 

[Ohiogal]

So... which is it? You're not allowed to have a boyfriend, or you have one (which means you're allowed to have one)?

My guess is she is not allowed to have a boyfriend but sneaks around to see her boyfriend.