Sierra

[DeeAlen]

Jurisdiction

New Jersey

My sixteen year old niece does not want to move to Pennsylvania with her father . Last May my sister passed away and her husband started dating a woman in Pennsylvania and he's moving there his daughter my niece has told me she will not live there she will run away if need be . I want to help her and she can live with me or my sister I tried to talk to her father about letting her stay here and he said no. My niece has as asbergers a form of autism and structure is very important and to uproot her into a new school with no friends or family support is absurd. My brother in law only cares about his own happiness and believes asbergers is a made up disease please someone help me to find out what I can do to help her.

 

[adjusterjack]

Your chances of getting custody or guardianship are slim to none and you could be criminally prosecuted if you aid and abet a runaway minor.

However, if you have, and are willing to spend, several thousand dollars on an attorney to take it to court, you are certainly welcome to try.

Otherwise, tell your niece that she is still a child in the eyes of the law and she should do as she is told by her father and stick it out until she is 18 when she will be an adult and can do whatever she wants.

 

[ElleMD]

Sorry but the child goes with the actual parent. 16 year olds do not get to decide where they would like to live. Threatening to run away if she doesn't get her way is a sign she needs more parental supervision and control, not less.

 

[shrinkmaster]

You have no standing to take this child from her Father. As stated you could be in legal trouble if you did try to help. I understand she has an illness but she can develope new roots etc in new location. I dont see this being about Dad only. It is something that happens all the time.