So a bit of background, on a difficult issue:
I've been dating a woman for a few years now, who has a daughter who is currently three years old. Her ex husband had no access or interest in his daughter for about the first year of her life, they split pretty much the week of the daughters birth. She had a court order for custody, and child support which he didn't pay. When we reconnected (we were good friends in high school) I let her know about MEP, and within a few months they did their job and it was sorted out within a few months. Starting out about a month after the birth of the daughter she would take her every Saturday to his parents to visit them. Sometimes he would be there, often he would not bother to show up.
Shortly after the wage garnishing happened to him, he started filing in court every six months for fifty percent custody. It very gradually increased over the past two years to the point it's at now, where he has unsupervised custody of her, every other weekend, starting on Friday, ending on the Monday.
So that's where custody stands now. During the marriage he displayed the signs of an alcoholic. Daily drinking to excess, as well as drinking and driving. Further he would engage in drugs such as Oxy (Daily), as well as cocaine, and GHB, frequency and amounts are unknown to me, but it was apparently quite often. All his affidavits in court stated he had been to rehab, and no longer drinks or does drugs.
Fast forward to this weekend, and she was contacted by a recently estranged partner of his, who had been in a relationship with him for several months. She told her that while he had care of his daughter, he would stay at her place, was always high on something, was injecting steroids, (she sent pictures of that, though with the angle no needle is visible, but it's obvious as to what is occurring), and would not hesitate to drive with his daughter while under the influence of either drugs, or alcohol. He would also take her with him to his dealers houses.
So, what the heck to do in a situation such as this? While it could all be just the vindictive lies of a woman scorned, this is behaviour that would not be out of character for him whatsoever. We called the Alberta child's abuse hotline, and they've opened a file and will investigate and come back to us this week with their findings, but that's about the only thing I can think of to do at this point. Telling a mother who believes their child is under the care and control of an alcoholic junkie, being driven around town to dealers houses for drug buys, that the only thing she can do is make a phone call..... Well, it's pretty inadequate.
Police involvement? Unable to tell them it's definitely occurring right now, or even where he is. He is a couch hopper, no permanent residence of his own.
Court? Well it's a weekend, but even then, what actual proof would we have to start a case? I'm sure some lawyer would love access to our credit cards, but could much be accomplished at this point?
All we are left with is sitting back until Monday, hoping her daughter comes back safe again, and then again hoping that Alberta Human Services comes back with something conclusive either way.
Unless I'm missing something that we should be doing?
I've been dating a woman for a few years now, who has a daughter who is currently three years old. Her ex husband had no access or interest in his daughter for about the first year of her life, they split pretty much the week of the daughters birth. She had a court order for custody, and child support which he didn't pay. When we reconnected (we were good friends in high school) I let her know about MEP, and within a few months they did their job and it was sorted out within a few months. Starting out about a month after the birth of the daughter she would take her every Saturday to his parents to visit them. Sometimes he would be there, often he would not bother to show up.
Shortly after the wage garnishing happened to him, he started filing in court every six months for fifty percent custody. It very gradually increased over the past two years to the point it's at now, where he has unsupervised custody of her, every other weekend, starting on Friday, ending on the Monday.
So that's where custody stands now. During the marriage he displayed the signs of an alcoholic. Daily drinking to excess, as well as drinking and driving. Further he would engage in drugs such as Oxy (Daily), as well as cocaine, and GHB, frequency and amounts are unknown to me, but it was apparently quite often. All his affidavits in court stated he had been to rehab, and no longer drinks or does drugs.
Fast forward to this weekend, and she was contacted by a recently estranged partner of his, who had been in a relationship with him for several months. She told her that while he had care of his daughter, he would stay at her place, was always high on something, was injecting steroids, (she sent pictures of that, though with the angle no needle is visible, but it's obvious as to what is occurring), and would not hesitate to drive with his daughter while under the influence of either drugs, or alcohol. He would also take her with him to his dealers houses.
So, what the heck to do in a situation such as this? While it could all be just the vindictive lies of a woman scorned, this is behaviour that would not be out of character for him whatsoever. We called the Alberta child's abuse hotline, and they've opened a file and will investigate and come back to us this week with their findings, but that's about the only thing I can think of to do at this point. Telling a mother who believes their child is under the care and control of an alcoholic junkie, being driven around town to dealers houses for drug buys, that the only thing she can do is make a phone call..... Well, it's pretty inadequate.
Police involvement? Unable to tell them it's definitely occurring right now, or even where he is. He is a couch hopper, no permanent residence of his own.
Court? Well it's a weekend, but even then, what actual proof would we have to start a case? I'm sure some lawyer would love access to our credit cards, but could much be accomplished at this point?
All we are left with is sitting back until Monday, hoping her daughter comes back safe again, and then again hoping that Alberta Human Services comes back with something conclusive either way.
Unless I'm missing something that we should be doing?
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