If my parents abuse me and I call the police, will I be placed in foster care while pregnant?

Question

I am 12 wks pregnant and my parents are extremely abusive. My dad threw a table at me. I dont feel safe anymore. The table almost hit my tummy too.. They dont know I'm pregnant. He threw the table because I asked to turn the air down because I was sweating. it's kept on 90degrees constantly in my house. He got really mad about that.

I have a place to go. my babys fathers house. he lives with his parents, but their like my second family--my home away from home. We'll be financially stable and the whole nine yards.

If I call the police, will they allow me to stay at my boyfriends parents house with him and his parents? Or will they put me in foster care?

I would think because i'm pregnant I wouldn't have to go to foster care.

Any help is appreciated! :)

Answer 1

For tonight, or ASAP, go to a shelter for abused women.  There, women who've been in similar situations can help you get away.  There are many places to go.  E-mail me with your location, and I'll find one.  I have worked with abused women before.  You will need to call the police.  It sounds like your father is an alcoholic, and hopefully, this is what it takes to get him some help.  I'm assuming you are 17.  It may take some time, but you can become an emancipated minor.  Don't make the mistake of getting married just because you are pregnant.  It's good that your boyfriend's parents are willing to help.  Make sure you make it clear to your boyfriend to not do anything to your parents.  That would just get him in trouble, and you need him right now.  You might go to foster care, but it's different with women your age.  Usually, there is a woman who will guide you on how to get prenatal care, how to provide for the baby, and how to get the nutritional needs, etc, that you and the baby need.  Foster care is usually (unfortunately not always) better than an abusive family where you don't feel safe.  The abuse shelter should be able to help you more though, and you'll be safe.  Can you get away from the house?  Do you have a cell phone to make a call?  I'll check my e-mail for quite a while now, and try to help you.  Good luck!

Answer 2

You need to tell your parents in a safe environment...not alone in your house...is there another adult who can help you? Maybe a school counselor, aunt, uncle, etc. You also need to get out of that house, If you have to move in with your boyfriend.

Answer 3

Oh sweetie I am in tears your parents sound allot like mine when I was your age. Go to your boyfriends and have his family call the police. I would not make a big deal about him being your boyfriend to the police. I would explore getting a PFA (protection from abuse) order. DO NOT go home it only gets worse, I know I have been there.

And please document all the abuse so that you can get your thoughts together when getting the PFA.  Stay in school and get prenatal care. Sounds like your bf parents will be your best support system. Go talk to them ASAP.  ((( hugs )))

ETA :

   YOUR NOT STUPID!!! Your just young and scared and it is ok you have help and people who care.

Answer 4

U can report him to the cops and then get a safe haven paper saying that anytime something like this happens that u can go to that place...

I had one for my husbands house...

I got pregnant at 15, had my son at 16.. My husbands home was where I went when my parents were abusing me

I dealt with that exact same thing growing up.. Really abusive parents, bad alcoholics etc...  

I wish u luck and hope u and baby are fine...

Answer 5

If you are under age, they will not only send you to a group home, they will also charge your boyfriend with stautory rape if he is over 18.

I would talk to his parents and see if they will give you safe haven without telling your parents.

If they won't, call your local Salvation Army.  They run a series of maternity homes where you only pay if you can.

Answer 6

Depends on your age.

Answer 7

If you want to be emancipated, by all means go ahead. If you feel your situation is no longer safe, then it is in your best interest and in the best interest of your child to get to a safer place.

Given that your father is being charged with three DUIs, he most likely drinks too much. Have you talked to your mom? You really should let them know you're pregnant.

Try talking to your boyfriend's parents about letting you stay with them, even if it is only for a while. Surely they will help you out!

Answer 8

don't feel stupid..... If you go to the cops they will put you in a safe place. If you really fear for you life get out of there you have a little life inside of you and if you father or mother make you miscarry then they could go to jail, at least in the state of texas that is like murder.  

A safe haven is a safe place, like a hospital or fire station.. they make sure you are taken care of.

Answer 9

Chances are, you may not even be removed from your home. However, if you are, you will go to foster care. Most courts will not emancipate a child who isn't already self-supporting (i.e. making a lot of money, not a part-time job at a local store).

Answer 10

Depending on how old you are you can actually go down and ask to be emancipated.  You can call the police, CPS (child protective services), or go down to the state welfare center. There are ways to get emancipated on an emergency level which would expedite everything for you.  Then when you are emancipated, you go get state assistance for food, housing, etc.

Answer 11

You may be able to apply for "emancipation".  See the following link to find out about emancipated minor laws in your state.

http://www.jlc.org/factsheets/4/

That said, the person who told you that your child will be placed in foster care until you're 18 is wrong. My daughter was born 6 weeks after my 17th birthday.  Neither I nor my daughter was ever in foster care!

In some states, you may be placed in foster care, and your child will remain with you as another foster child in that home, but still in your care until you are able to get on your feet financially & emotionally.

You can move in with your boyfriend's home if his parents are in agreement. Let your parents know where you are once you get there.  If they threaten to call the police (saying his parent's are contributing to the delinquency of a minor - you), you can counter that you are afraid of them and wish to stay there until things can get sorted out.  

Talk to a trusted counselor at school.  Get someone to help you.  It may seem like the perfect out, but you have much work ahead of you.  

Feel free to e-mail me.  I've been where you're at! Abuse & all.  My daughter is now 31.  

{{{hugs}}}

Answer 12

Block your number and call Child Protective Services.  Explain your situation, minus your name, and see what they say.

You may also want to Google the laws in your state for the age of consent, emancipation laws, etc..  After you're completely informed, it will be easier to decide what your next step would be.  

In the meantime, if your parents are ok with your staying with another friend or your bf, get out of dodge!!  As soon as you know your rights, call the police and have em locked up, Sweet!  Also invest in a camera and take pics of any bruising you may receive.  They will go to the pen for hitting someone who's pregnant!

God bless you, Precious!  We're praying for God's guiding, protecting hand over you and your unborn child.  I wish you all the luck in the world.  Feel free to email me!!

BTW...you're not stupid!

Answer 13

I think it depends on how old you are.  You might qualify to be emancipated, although that would take some court-time and paperwork.

I say just go to your boyfriend's house anyway.  If your parents call the police, explain your situation.

Answer 14

Call a social worker and they can give you advice on what to do.

Answer 15

I work for CPS myself. If CPS became involved (and they would, if you called the police), a worker would come to your home and interview you and your parents. You would NOT immediately be taken out of the home. A safety plan would be developed and the worker would talk to your parents about the issues going on. IF the issues continued and they were unable/unwilling to stop being physical with you, then you might be taken from the home. The fact that you're pregnant would not make any difference. You would be placed either with a relative, in a foster home, or in a residential center. If there is an appropriate relative in the area, you would go there, whether it was what you preferred or not. If there were not any, it'd be a foster home or a residential facility/group home. In many areas, teens are more often placed in residential centers because there are few foster homes willing to take teenagers. Because you're pregnant, the chances that you'd be sent to a residential facility are higher. Few regular foster parents would be willing or able to take a teenager who is also pregnant. Unless your boyfriend's parents petitioned for custody and the judge in court granted custody to them, CPS would not allow you to stay there.

Answer 16

First off, you need to contact a local clinic so you can get check ups for you and your baby if you haven't already.  Now is a really important time.  

You need to call someone, if i were you i would ask a counselor at school or maybe the doc at the clinic, they can help you with your question.

Since you are a minor, BUT you are pregnant, i believe if you have a place to go you will be able to be emancipated.  You need to get out of there as soon as you can.  Im glad you are taking action and good luck , i hop eyou find your answer.

Answer 17

This will help you with learning about the safe haven law that most states have adopted.

http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/l...

Good Luck,

Sara

Answer 18

My husband is a former social worker for family services and you will not be able to stay with your boyfriend's family, they will place you in foster and you probably will not be allowed to have contact with your boyfriend.

Answer 19

I am not sure.  I think you could call a social worker or the police department to get some answers.

Try calling some help hotlines so you don't have to give your name.

I'm kind of scared for you about you telling your parents that you are pregnant.  Can you talk to  your boyfriend's parents about all of this and get their advice?

I wish you the best.

Answer 20

Well first off your parents would definately go to jai for this. Chid abuse is not taken lightly ANYWHERE!

Also you can ask the police about it. Ask them if you would be able to live with your b/f and his family because ifyou are under the age of 18 you have to live with someone over the age of 18. I'm not sure if they would have to become your legal guardians or not but its worth asking.

Get help soon,do not let them abuse you anymore because next time they do this you and baby might not be so lucky

Answer 21

OYE VEH

CALL THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES

Answer 22

I was emancipated at 16, and let me tell you, it's not an easy thing to have done! I had to have a job, be self supporting, making certain grades (I graduated early thank god), and be able to prove to the courts that I could financially, emotionally, and mentally take care of myself. I did it, but it was a month before my 17th birthday when it finally happened.

99% of the states are NOT going to allow you (an underage minor) to live with your boyfriend if you are removed from your parents home due to abuse. Your boyfriends parents would need to pass a homestudy, home inspection, background check, apply for foster parents licensing, etc. Let me just tell you upfront, it's not going to happen sweetie.

Just because you are pregnant doesn't give you any more rights than any other 16 year old. You are still a minor in the eyes of the law, thus you have to answer to authority and have someone "over" you. You may not like that answer, but it's true. You need someone to take care of you and make sure you're doing the things you should be for both you and that baby you're carrying.

If you don't feel safe in your home anymore, you really should talk to someone and get out for your saftey as well as the saftey of that baby you're carrying. Call the police, a local shelter, or even the local department of human services and explain the situation to them.

While you may end up in foster care, a group home, maternity home, etc... Sometimes it's better to be somewhere that you know you're going to be safe verses being at home where you're dodging tables and dealing with all other types of abuse.

Also let me edit to add this... If you just up and go to your boyfriends house and the parents let you stay there, your parents can report you as a runaway, and they can be charged with knowingly harboring a runaway... It's better to do this the legal route.

Answer 23

It depends how old you are and what your parents say. I am telling you right now though you have to tell your parents you are pregnant. If it goes bad you call the cops or call a friend ( not the bf incase your dad beats him lol ) over so they can witness anything that happens.

Answer 24

you should go over to a friends house and hang out with them. give your parents time to relaxed. if you really need to call the cops.

most likely you could live with your baby's father. i think the court will pick the best place for you you but most likely you can stay with him. you could get Emancipation (think that is how you spell it) i am looking right now what are the rules for it.

found this

The exact laws and protocols for obtaining emancipation vary from state to state. In most states, the minor must file a petition with the family court in his/her jurisdiction, formally requesting emancipation and citing reasons why it is in his/her best interest to be emancipated. He/she must prove that he/she can support himself/herself financially. Many states require that the minor have been living separate from his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) for a period of time; however, that requires the consent of the parent(s)/guardian(s) in order to not classify simply as "running away".

Emancipations are rarely granted, because of the subjectivity and narrowness of the definition of "best interest". On one end of the spectrum are minors who have been victims of abuse; in most cases, the state's department of child services is notified and the child is placed in foster care. On the other end of the spectrum are minors who are seeking emancipation for reasons such as not being pleased with their parents'/guardians' rules. In those cases, the emancipation will most likely be denied and the minor will be sent back home with the parent/guardian.

In some states, free legal aid is available to minors seeking emancipation, through children's law centers. This can be a valuable resource for minors trying to create a convincing emancipation petition.

Quoting Arizona Revised Statutes Seciton 12-2451. Petition for emancipation order; requirements; notification; representation; waiver of filing fees

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A. A minor who wishes to be emancipated may file a petition for an emancipation order with the clerk of the court in the county in which the minor resides if all of the following apply:

1. The minor is at least sixteen years of age.

2. The minor is a resident of this state.

3. The minor is financially self-sufficient.

4. The minor acknowledges in writing that the minor has read and understands information that is provided by the court and that explains the rights and obligations of an emancipated minor and the potential risks and consequences of emancipation.

5. The minor is not a ward of the court and is not in the care, custody and control of a state agency.

B. A petition filed pursuant to this section must contain the following:

1. The petitioner's name, mailing address, social security number and date of birth.

2. The name and mailing address of the petitioner's parent or legal guardian if known.

3. Specific facts to support the petition, including:

(a) The minor's demonstrated ability to manage the minor's financial affairs including proof of employment or other means of support.

(b) The minor's demonstrated ability to manage the minor's personal and social affairs, including proof of housing.

(c) The minor's demonstrated ability to live wholly independent of the minor's parent.

(d) The minor's demonstrated ability and commitment to obtain or maintain education, vocational training or employment.

(e) How the minor will obtain or maintain health care.

(f) Any other information considered necessary to support the petition.

(g) At least one of the following:

(i) Documentation that The minor has been living on the minor's own for at least three consecutive months.

(ii) A statement explaining why the minor believes the home of the minor's parent or legal guardian is not a healthy or safe environment.

(iii) A notarized statement that contains written consent to the emancipation and an explanation by the minor's parent or legal guardian.

C. The court shall hold a hearing on the petition within ninety days after the date of its filing and shall notify the petitioner and the petitioner's parent or legal guardian of the date and place of the hearing by certified mail at least sixty days before the hearing date. For good cause shown, the court may continue the initial emancipation hearing.

D. The minor's parent or legal guardian may file a written response objecting to the emancipation within thirty days of service of the notice of the hearing.

E. The minor may participate in the court proceedings on the minor's own behalf or be represented by an attorney chosen by the minor. If the court determines it necessary, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem for the petitioner.

F. The court may reduce or waive the fee prescribed in section 12-284 for filing a petition for emancipation of a minor for financial hardship.

Quote:

Quoting Arizona Revised Statutes Section 12-2453. Factors; best interests of minor; burden of proof; emancipation orders; filing requirements

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A. The court shall determine emancipation based on the best interests of the minor and shall consider all relevant factors, including:

1. The potential risks and consequences of emancipation and to what degree the minor understands these risks and consequences.

2. The wishes of the minor.

3. The opinions and recommendations of the minor's parent or guardian.

4. The financial resources of the minor, including the minor's employment history.

5. The minor's ability to be financially self-sufficient.

6. The minor's level of education and the minor's success in school.

7. Whether the minor has a criminal record.

B. The minor has the burden of proof by clear and convincing evidence.

C. The court shall file an emancipation order with the clerk of the court and issue a copy of the order to the minor and the department of economic security or its agent, if the minor is a child in a title IV-D case.

D. An emancipation order issued by a court pursuant to this article:

1. Is conclusive evidence that the minor is emancipated.

2. Terminates a dependency action as to the minor by operation of law.

The statute does not require parental consent.

hope this helps if you need anymore help email me. i will keep looking in to this and send you emails on anything i find.

hope things get better and ps your not stupid

Answer 25

your parents would definitaly go to jail i think if your bfs parents wanted you they could take u with ur consent since ur 16 but i would call them first and be at your bfs house when you call the cops if you do  goodluck

Answer 26

Sad but true sweety, not only would you be placed in temporary child care, since you are sixteen, that is if your parents (both) were convicted of abuse,  and no other imediate family offered there homes up to you, but if you were in child care, when you had your baby, he/she too would be placed in child care, for atleast the time being until  you hit 18, or your childs father turned 18, that or your babies fathers parents, would have to officially adopt the baby as their own.

Answer 27

What state do you live in?  He can call the police, but you tell them the situation, they will more than likely let you stay with your boyfriend.  And if you say you want to press charges on your father for being abusive, then they will definitly not take you to some sort of foster care.  Good luck momma.

Answer 28

find a hotline to call up like childline (0800 1111) and ask them, if they ask for your address and stuff just say its a friend not you and if they pester you just hang up.

xxxx