Am I going to get in legal trouble for child abandonment?

[Taxing Matters]

Understanding that Mom may not have had many options due to the weather delays but wasn't it HER responsibility to see that there was a contingency plan? After all, the OP had been saying right from the beginning that she was not available to care for the child after a certain, specific, designated and known to Mom point in time. Why is this on the OP? Why wasn't MOM the one responsible for seeing that there was already a contingency plan in place?

Certainly I think Mom had more of the resposibility here as it was up to her to ensure her child was cared for and she didn't plan appropriately. But that may not let the OP entirely off the hook either. The OP was the last person with physical control of the child and knew Mom wasn't going to make it home before the kid had to be picked up. Granted she thought the OP would return in time, but I think the OP should have said no to the trip extension when that ended up being so close to the time the OP was going to leave on her own trip just because stuff like this can happen. If Mom had to decline extending her trip so that she could ensure her kid was cared for, well, that's life.

 

[LdiJ]

Certainly I think Mom had more of the resposibility here as it was up to her to ensure her child was cared for and she didn't plan appropriately. But that may not let the OP entirely off the hook either. The OP was the last person with physical control of the child and knew Mom wasn't going to make it home before the kid had to be picked up. Granted she thought the OP would return in time, but I think the OP should have said no to the trip extension when that ended up being so close to the time the OP was going to leave on her own trip just because stuff like this can happen. If Mom had to decline extending her trip so that she could ensure her kid was cared for, well, that's life.

But she did deny the trip extension. That is why mom supposedly booked a 1PM flight back. The OP probably never should have agreed to watch the child at all, even for the 4 days that she was available.

 

[Eekamouse]

The mother, not the roommate, is the irresponsible jerk here. It's her freaking child and she should have taken the child with her instead of dumping the responsibility of her on her roommate. To come all sideways at her roommate and putting the blame on her for this mess is disgusting. That the mom had no one she could call to help her out sort of implies that maybe she pulls this crap all the time and her friends likely are unwilling to help her. In my opinion, anyway. You'd think she'd know some of her kid's friend's mothers and could have called them for help. Interesting that nobody would.

 

[Just Blue]

IMO. FWIW, both parties are irresponsible. But as Mom is not posting here I am just addressing the OP, who knowingly got on her flight (put the phone on AP mode) despite knowing that there was no one to pick up and watch the 10 year old child. She, at that time, was still responsible for this child.

I do hope that the parent was able to get someone to pick up and sit for her daughter till she got home. OP has been back here several times and still not answered the question that was asked a couple of times..."Is the child okay?" One can only assume that she has no idea if the child is safe...her only concern seems to be CHA.

 

[stealth2]

One can only assume that she has no idea if the child is safe...her only concern seems to be CHA.

I just don't understand the mindset, tbh. Even if I had some pretty hardcore plans, I don't think I could - in good conscience - take the chance on a child I had been responsible for being left high and dry. Nor could I enjoy my vacation without knowing the child was in safe hands.

 

[Just Blue]

I just don't understand the mindset, tbh. Even if I had some pretty hardcore plans, I don't think I could - in good conscience - take the chance on a child I had been responsible for being left high and dry. Nor could I enjoy my vacation without knowing the child was in safe hands.

I agree. I would have taken a later flight and made sure the child was safe.

 

[Just Blue]

And OP was once again back looking at her thread (13 min's ago) and didn't answer the question re the safety of the child.

 

[stealth2]

I agree. I would have taken a later flight and made sure the child was safe.

*Should* it not be the parent's ultimate responsibility? Sure. But... Most reasonable people would, I think, do that.

 

[Ohiogal]

You should consult with a Criminal Defense Attorney.

I'm going to tag a few of the attorneys that volunteer here. One of them is @Ohiogal who is a Juvenile/Family Law Attorney as well as a Guardian Ad Litem .

@Taxing Matters @zddoodah

In my opinion, you left this child knowing that her parent would not be able to get her. That is (IMO) child neglect.

I disagree. As I told you on the phone.

 

[Bali Hai Again]

But she did deny the trip extension. That is why mom supposedly booked a 1PM flight back. The OP probably never should have agreed to watch the child at all, even for the 4 days that she was available.

The best advice I’ve heard yet. My kids were never left with ANYONE while we went out of town, they always went with us and if that wasn’t possible we didn’t go or just one went and the other stayed home. Maybe we were old fashion responsible parents.

 

[LdiJ]

The best advice I’ve heard yet. My kids were never left with ANYONE while we went out of town, they always went with us and if that wasn’t possible we didn’t go or just one went and the other stayed home. Maybe we were old fashion responsible parents.

My parents occasionally went out of town without us (maybe once a year) but we were always left with grandparents during that time. I never left my daughter unless she was with her father. I don't recall ever even leaving her with my mom and dad like that.

 

[Taxing Matters]

But she did deny the trip extension. That is why mom supposedly booked a 1PM flight back. The OP probably never should have agreed to watch the child at all, even for the 4 days that she was available.

No, I wasn't referring to that last day attempt to change the plans. I'm referring to this:

While she was gone she asked if I would be okay if she extended her trip for a few more days. I reminded her about my trip. So she got a new plane ticket that would have had her arriving back today at 1pm. My bf and I also had plane ticket to leave for our trip today at 10am. So the new plan was my bf and I would drop her daughter off at school then head for the airport. Then my roommate would pick her daughter up from school as she would be home by then.

That first extension was made days before the return flight home, and when it would have been apparent to both the OP and roommate that they were cutting things pretty close with what appears to be one flight arriving just hours before the other leaves. That first extension, when the roommate would have had several days to find other arrangements or get the heck back home to her kid, is where this problem initially started and where it could have been best avoided, I think.

 

[LdiJ]

No, I wasn't referring to that last day attempt to change the plans. I'm referring to this:



That first extension was made days before the return flight home, and when it would have been apparent to both the OP and roommate that they were cutting things pretty close with what appears to be one flight arriving just hours before the other leaves. That first extension, when the roommate would have had several days to find other arrangements or get the heck back home to her kid, is where this problem initially started and where it could have been best avoided, I think.

I see what you are saying. I however didn't interpret the timeline the same way. She agreed initially to 4 days because of her trip. I took it that the mom wanted to extend beyond the 4 days and the OP said no, hence the 1:00 flight. I could be wrong about that. Although I don't think it is certain that you have the right timeline interpretation either.

 

[Taxing Matters]

I see what you are saying. I however didn't interpret the timeline the same way. She agreed initially to 4 days because of her trip. I took it that the mom wanted to extend beyond the 4 days and the OP said no, hence the 1:00 flight. I could be wrong about that. Although I don't think it is certain that you have the right timeline interpretation either.

There were 3 requests made by the roommate. The first was the one made before the roommate left town. All well and good as there was a several day gap between roommate's return and OP's departure, allowing time to fix things if something went wrong. Then while on the trip the roommate calls with the second request and wants to extend the trip a few more days. It's not explicitly said that the the OP said no to that. I think, however, that had the OP said no at that point, the roommate would not have needed to change tickets. She'd return as planned on the ticket she already had set. But evidently the OP agreed to the roommate's several day extension, causing the roommate to change tickets and create that tight window of time for the roommate to get back and get her kid. Then in the third request the roommate calls again while the OP is already at the airport for her own trip and asks for more time because her return ticket got canceled and she had to get another flight. Clearly the OP said no to that. So in my view, the OP should have said no to request number 2.

 

[stealth2]

I suspect that if CPS was called, OP will at least be interviewed.