A man in another state is heartbroken as he attempts to reunite with his child. The father has filed a lawsuit against a county Department of Social Services, claiming that he was deceived into signing away his parental rights. The child custody case has roots that go back years, and the county’s practice of having parents sign the documents has been questioned before. Parents in Texas having custody issues may certainly be able to relate to the man’s unfortunate case.
The father explained to the media that a few years ago, he was dealing with his wife’s sudden heart attack. Since he needed to leave town to tend to his wife in the hospital, the man left his child with family friends while he was away. A teacher at school reported the child to DSS when she observed that the child smelled like a cat. That’s when the authorities became involved.
According to the father, social workers approached him and encouraged him to sign a custody document, stating that it was the only choice. He believed that he was allowing his father temporary custody while he was away, but the document was supposedly binding. Since then, he has filed suit against the county.
The child custody document provided by the county was allegedly illegal because it bypassed a judge’s order. In order to protect one’s children, a parent should never sign a document that he or she does not understand. In Texas, a person facing a confrontation with child services over custody may choose to consult a lawyer for an interpretation of any documentation, and for ongoing support.
Source: newschannel9.com, “Cherokee County, NC man says he was tricked into signing over custody of daughter“, Brittany Martin, March 27, 2018
