definition of "child abandonment"?

[Ashlee1443]

North Carolina

What cirumstances would prove eligibility for child abandoment? I don't think I can even refer to bio dad's visits as "sporadic" any longer....my son is 2 years old, and has no clue who is father is. My son has been visited by his father this past Christmas, and on his 2nd birthday...there have been several short visits between this time as well...my son has never been in his father's home, or even been in his vehicle, as a matter of fact, my son has never left our home with his father. It's small, everyday things that my son has missed out on with his father. Bio dad does pay support, this is the only contribution from him towards our son. What happens when filing for child abandoment? If bio dad was found guilty of child abandoment, would his right automatically be terminated? What about the support he pays? We do not have a visitation order either. any info would be helpful...thanks.

 

[Grace_Adler]

Hi, I live in NC too, but I'm kind of clueless under this topic. I don't think all that would be considered abandonment. Plus he's paying support. I'm not sure what the laws are here. I'm curious too and I can't seem to find anything but I have the web site to NC General Assembly. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did.
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us

 

[haiku]

As long as he pays his support he has not abandoned the child. He would have to willingly sign away his rights and even so, it would not be allowed unless you have remarried and your spouse was adopting. (the state does not want to risk the burden of another child on thier welfare rolls)

 

[Ashlee1443]

thanks for the info. I was asking the question out of curiosity; bio dad keeps his distance from us, which is best for our son's sake, so it would be nothing but trouble to file for something unecessary, that wouldn't change the situation in any way. Plus, you mentioned that since he does pay support, he is not "abandoning" my child.

Haiku, you mentioned bio dad signing over rights, but only doing so if I had someone to adopt my son...this must be under special circumstances as well. I have a close friend (i've posted about it) who agreed to having bio dad terminate rights, and there was no one there to step up to the plate and adopt her daughter. Maybe because bio mom agreed to the relinquishment, that made the difference. Who knows....

 

[ritesremoved]

abandonment

I have been told that if you could prove that the dad abandoned you & the child for a period of time that you could get his rites revoked. .If thats the case then I desperatly need assitance in doing so my son has never meet his "father," & now has a great Dad in his life who loves him very much.