Q: What can I do if the mother of our unborn child refuses to let me have anything to do with our child and puts it a risk?
The Mother is now 11 weeks pregnant and I have evidence of her doing drugs and refusing to set up any appointments with a doctor for the child, also the mother is threatening to not let me see our child when he/she is born I am worried for our child's wellbeing and I would like to know what all can I do before and after the child is born?
A: First and foremost, I am sorry to hear that you are going through this. The law tends to make it more difficult for a father to establish his parental rights. The first thing you would need to do is establish the child's paternity. If you guys are married, Missouri assumes the child's father to be the husband. If the child's paternity is not assumed, then you would need to take the steps to establish paternity. You can either request that genetic testing be completed in order to confirm you are in fact the child’s father and entitled to parental rights, or you can file a court action in order for a judge to establish paternity. Once paternity is established, you may seek child custody or visitation. It is best to speak directly with an attorney for more details about how to prevent her from withholding the child from you.
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