Not Sure where to post this, DSS questions, pregnant cousin unfit, help please....

[SeraTuki]

What is the name of your state? Massachusetts.

Hello....

I'm really unsure where to post this or even if someone could offer some insight, but I am at a loss here so any help would be much appriciated.

I have a 28 year old cousin who is pregnant, she has no job and no desire to get one. She is living hand to mouth and according to her own admission is living somewhere with her current boyfriend with both esbestos and lead paint. (I am aware that lead paint is not an issue unless somehow ingested...just wanted to give you all the whole story)

She has 2 other sons from a previous relationship whom she lost custody of, the first because of neglect, he has since been placed and adopted by her younger sister. The second she lost at birth because she was homeless.

After a lengthy conversation with her current boyfriend he has admitted to being on several medications for multi-personalitly disorder, depression and sucidial tendencies....he has also admitted to being convicted of child molestation and assault with a deadly weapon.
He lives on public assistance.

I've tried to help her as best I could, I set her up with appointments for section 8 housing and welfare, both appointments she basically blew off, saying she "didn't feel like going and could I please go for her?"
I also tried to set her up with a program for unwed mothers since I have no concern for her boyfriend at all....she then proceeded to ask me to call them for her!

She recently agreed to give the baby up for adoption to an aunt of ours who cannot have children. only to call me and tell me a week or so later that if she can't keep her baby she didn't want anyone to have it....So then I asked her if she planned an abortion since she has no means to take care of this baby and she's 13 weeks PG....she replied with "oh I don't know"

I am not in a place to judge her for not being able to abort it or give it up for adoption, those are difficult choices and I am aware of that. But what I wanted to know was if I could somehow force her into a program with help from DSS or something?

Just last night her bf called me and nonchalantly told me he was at the point of stealing from the local grocery store just to feed them.....

I wondered if DSS could even step in until the child is born? I would rather see him/her placed for adoption than raised in a situation like this! I could understand and help more if she had just fallen on hard times, but that is not the case....this is a pattern for her for the past 8 years....please help....

Thanks!

 

[Ausmumof2]

The duty of parents to protect their children, in instances not involving induced abortion, has been applied to the care and protection of unborn children in the womb. Cases of this type have occurred both before and after the 1973 decision in Roe vs. Wade. For example, in 1985, a New York court ordered a blood transfusion to protect the life of an 18-week-old unborn child over the objections of the mother on religious grounds based upon her beliefs as a Jehovah Witness. The court stated, "for the purposes of this proceeding, the fetus can be regarded as a human being, to whom the courts stands in parens patriae, and to whom the court has an obligation to protect.1"

Courts have ordered blood transfusions or cesarean sections to protect the life or health of an unborn child.In a 1961 New Jersey case,2 decided prior to Roe vs. Wade the custody of an unborn child was awarded to the county welfare department after the child's birth. In this case, the court held that the parents, in refusing, on religious grounds, to consent to a blood transfusion for the child immediately after its birth, where expert medical opinion and the history of the wife's past pregnancies indicated that a blood transfusion would be essential to save the infant's life, were neglecting to provide the child with proper protection. The court held that it had jurisdiction to award custody of the child for purposes of administering a blood transfusion immediately after birth. The court stated, "It is now settled that an unborn child's right to life and health is entitled to legal protection even if it is not viable.3"


I would call DSS and allow them to know whats going on.... let them know your very concerned and possibly even set up an appointment and meet with a social worker, they should go out and check on her, set her up with Dr's app's through a free health clinic, and give her food stamps and what not; it's a slight VERY slight possibility that they will get legally involved, but who knows...

I really hope that your cousin grows a brain and figures out that there are such things as condoms and she should get whom ever she is opening her legs to to put one on!!! Sorry for the crassness of that but there are children in foster homes looking and waiting to be adopted, the systems are over crowded and kids go with out another one is not acceptable, especially when she is having help handed to her!!!