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What is considered child abandonment in the State of Alabama?

Please serious comments only! My husband and I are very distraught over this situation. Last summer we kept this 6 year old, which has since turned 7. I need to add some background on this child. She repeated Kindergarten twice and is now in first grade. She has not gone to school on a consistent basis since she has been in school. She has changed schools more than 4 times in 3 years. (She is now in 1st grade). Her mom allowed her to go stay with her uncle but the child hated it there so midway through the year she wanted her to come stay with us. We accepted her and when we got her, she was reading 8 words a minute in 1st grade 5 months ago and is now reading 24 words a minute. She had a D in math and now has an A and she absolutely loves it here. We have 2 other kids, a 6 year old and a 12 year old. The problem is that we can't get her mom to fill out any paperwork to allow us to be guardians over her education/medical and the school can never reach her when she is needed. The school calls us yesterday stating if we can't get her to sign something giving us an education guardianship they are going to have to call DHR. We are distraught because we don't want her taken away from us. She is doing so well here. Her mom never calls her and the child doesn't care to go visit her. The child had no insurance and had never gone to the doctor or dentist until we got her. Since that time, she has had a dental check up and a well check up and has insurance now. Does anyone know what the laws are in Alabama and if we even stand a chance if the school calls Child Protective Services? They have given us until 2 p.m. today to get her mom to the school and we are begging her for the child's sake to please go do this but we are still waiting anxiously hoping she will show up. Oh, I forgot to mention the mom is a Lesbian (not that that will make a difference) and she is on drugs (that will surely make a difference) and she has lost custody of her other two kids, which the father has and she doesn't see (that should make a difference). Any advice will surely be appreciated. Thanks

Public Comments

1. CPS could take custody of the child - and place her with you. The school is just saying that there has to be someone that can make legal decisions for the child. I would suggest that you contact and work with DHHR-CPS - it would be in the best interest of the child. If the mother is unfit - then the court can take her away, and possibility place her with you. By not protecting her - you will be viewed as part of the problem.
2. I would strongly recommend you read up on this: http://www.capsulecorp.org/custody or alternatively: http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26x%3D0%26ref_%3Dnb%5Fsb%5Fnoss%26y%3D0%26field-keywords%3Dchild%2520custody%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps&tag=clogui-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957