Being a parent is a difficult job, and single parents may struggle more than parents who have the help of a spouse, domestic partner, or other family members around to help. For a single parent, maintaining employment may be a necessity to provide for one’s children. Unfortunately, choosing work over the safety of a child can result in loss of child custody.
Recently, an Arizona mother with two young twin boys was arrested. The trouble began when a neighbor reported that the boys, age 3, seemed unattended as they reached through a broken window to toss toys into the yard. When police arrived, they found that the children were indeed alone and wearing dirty diapers.
They managed to contact the mother at work. She initially said that she had hired a babysitter for the children through an app but later admitted that was not true. She confessed that she left the boys alone because she had to go to work. She has been charged with child abuse and endangering a minor, and the state assumed child custody of the twins.
Sometimes, a caring friend or relative may be concerned about a child they know. If a person is interested in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child custody order, hiring an attorney can be a good place to start. An attorney can help an interested party explain to a court why children are not safe in a current situation, and find a better placement that is in the best interest of the children in question.
