Im very new to this board; however, Ive been a visitor for four years.
My situation began with my husband and I being comfronted by my them 19 yo niece which was about 3 weeks from delivering the baby. Up till that point only my sister ( her mother ) and father knew. She came to us insisting she wanted to go to college and a baby in no way fit into her plans. ** said she was putting him up for adoption regardless one way or the other. My husband and I have another son at the time was 5 and very much wanted a brother of sister. We of course said yes
Before the baby was born we went to our lawyer had papers draw up stating her intentions. The baby has been with us since he was 2 days old. To try and make and very long story shorter. The ** is still to this day not co-operating with us she is constantly missing scheduled appointment with the pc invest.
and the lawyer we have hired to represent her. We need some advise on what to do next. Our lawyer says if this doesnt get moving the putition maybe withdrawn. I want to try and have her parental rights terminated.the lawyer says if she has seen him within the last year , it would be hard. The ONLY time in 4 1/2 years she has seen him has been because to coincidence ie: holidays, family picnics .She has never come to visit (just because).
We live in Ohio and the law states if there is 1. no financial support - there has never been. 2. neglect - family can atest to this one. 3. Felony conviction - she has been convicted on two different occasions for her drug problem. 4. abandonment or Extreme parental neglect - she is a stranger to him at last count its been about 10 times shes been around him. Its not that she wants him, she has told other family members that she does not want him, never has. We are really ready to loss it. This little boy is our world .He calls us Mom & Dad and loves his brother very much. We are the only family he has ever known he is so much better off with us. We give him all the love he could ever want and a safe secure happy home. This has been going on for so long my husband and I feel like we are puppets on a string everytime we think things are moving along,we get a letter or a call telling us the opposite! We just want to move on and close this chapter . Can anyone give us some advise? I cant believe there is nothing we can do .we are ready to do what ever it takes! I have kept the extended family in mind for almost five years now not wanting to rock the boat and cause my relative to hate each other but enough is enough.
Please give us some advise
