Mobile, AL asked in Child Custody and Family Law for Florida

Q: Can a father who lives in Alabama pick his child up in Florida and keep them against court order?

Step daughters mother has a history of abuse. We have just received evidence that SD (14) is in a highly inappropriate relationship with her mother's boyfriend's adult son (in his mid 20s). We will be contacting the police as well as DCF, but we would like to keep SD safe from her mother's abuse in the meantime because there is no telling what she will do when she finds out. We are also worried that she will coach SD to lie to protect the man, if SD is not in our custody. We would like to pick her up for our time and keep her until police and DCF can get involved and we can file for emergency custody. Is this okay to do because it's for the protection of the child?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Terrence H Thorgaard
Terrence H Thorgaard
Answered
  • Freeeport, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: No, you probably cannot take custody of the child prior to the authorities becoming involved. You didn't say whether there is a custody order in place; were the child's parents divorced?

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