What are the child endangerment laws in Colorado?

[jojokaries]

My friend and her husband, who reside in North Carolina, have had his 12 year old daughter living with them for the last year. The mother resides in Colorado.Their daughter has spent every other year in NC for the past couple of years. The father and mother of the child have an agreement, without court involvement, to share custody. The father was informed by the mother's sister, that the mother has a convicted felon living with her, and that she is selling and using drugs. The mother's sister advised to not let their daughter move back to Colorado with this situation going on. Since there has been no court involvement, what steps should the father take now?

 

[stealth2]

Were Mom & Dad married?

At minimum, Dad should not take advice from friends, relatives, well-meaning passers-by, and speak with a lawyer. Jurisdiction could be an issue, with their time-share (how that works with schooling puzzles me...).

 

[jojokaries]

No, I don't believe they were. I understand this is hearsay, and a lawyer contacted. If DSS was contacted, would they investigate or would they need more proof this is going on?

 

[LdiJ]

No, I don't believe they were. I understand this is hearsay, and a lawyer contacted. If DSS was contacted, would they investigate or would they need more proof this is going on?

Under the circumstances, getting DSS involved would be about the most stupid thing that he could do. Which is just one more reason why he should be getting advice from an attorney rather than from well meaning, but uneducated in family law, friends.

 

[stealth2]

Ditto, LDi. Since they were not married and nothing went through court, it is likely Dad has no enforceable rights to the child. So the child could end up in foster care, in CO.

 

[Zigner]

...what steps should the father take now?

For starters he could log on and ask his own questions about his own legal matter.

 

[jojokaries]

Thanks for your two cents, Zigner. This is a free forum where "anyone" can ask questions

 

[TheGeekess]

Thanks for your two cents, Zigner. This is a free forum where "anyone" can ask questions

But WE prefer one of the parties involved post.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Thanks for your two cents, Zigner. This is a free forum where "anyone" can ask questions

And those questions get answered or not by volunteers, most of which have decided to not answer questions asked by 3rd parties in a situation for a number of reasons.

 

[jojokaries]

 

[Zigner]

Thanks for your two cents, Zigner. This is a free forum where "anyone" can ask questions

If one (either) of the legally involved parties (of whom you are not one) wishes to ask their own legal questions about their own legal matters, they are free to log on and do so.

 

[jojokaries]

Number one, this is my family. Two, what you read was the information they were given, and need some guidance.

 

[t74]

Arguing with the senior members does nothing but make them angry.

Your best way to help your family member/friend is to help them identify a professional to advise them. The situation you describe is too serious for advice from an internet forum. Remember that potentially the safety of a child is at stake.

 

[Zigner]

My friend and her husband...

Number one, this is my family...

So did you lie in your first post, or your last post?

 

[LdiJ]

Number one, this is my family, so sorry, no butting out, as you suggested. Two, what you read was the information they were given, and need some guidance. I did not come on this site to be totally disrespected and called names. People should be able to come on a free forum, such as this, be able to ask their questions and not have to be treated as such.

You were neither called names nor disrespected. Have you ever heard of the game of telephone? You might be too young for it but its a game where there is a line of people. The first person whispers a sentence or two to the person next to them, and it goes up the line until to the last person. Invariably what the last person was told didn't even vaguely resemble what the first person was told.

That is the problem when third parties ask questions. What gets told to the actual parties involved may be a misinterpretation of the advice that was actually given. Particularly if it goes from you to your friend, and then she tells it to her husband.