To set this up, there was an argument in the family between my younger brother and our sister's fiance that took place seven months ago on the job. But it was minor, and swept under the rug. However, my sister's fiance kept it going by using other members of the family who have no business being brought into something that was let go. Now, seven months later - to which my sister and her fiance moved out of state - it's escalated to the entire family. My mother, father, younger brother, and myself have received threats of physical harm and death from my sister's fiance and his brother. We've already dealt accordingly with that, but considering it's escalated to the enitre family - when my mother, father, younger brother, and myself have refrained from contact with my sister and her fiance and his brother for over a month now - my other brother has decided to deny the right of my mother, our father, our younger brother, and me from seeing his one year old daughter, my niece. Stating that it's a poisonous enviroment.
However, he, his girlfriend, and daughter visited us three weeks ago and everything was okay. The situation wasn't brought up, because what's done is done and over with and in the past - it's time to move on - and they're not apart of it. Everyone was fine.
My niece - who is very attached to me - like any other infant, can tell when their enviroment is uncomfortable, and in turn will show signs of distress. Which never happened. She played, laughed, and danced to any music she heard. At the time she was 11 months old. But mainly stayed by my side, if not wanting to sit in my lap - as she's very attached to me. I can't help that, she's been like that since she was a week old.
And a week later was her birthday, to which my father and I only attended due to my mother and younger brother being ill. Everything was okay.
Out of nowhere, considering my parents, younger brother, and I don't have contact with my sister and her fiance and his brother - my other brother writes on his online journel that the situation is stupid and he will not put his daughter through that and surround her with it (which I understand) and says we won't be seeing her again. But it doesn't make sense when it concerns us, because we never did anything to make the enviroment hostile toward them or my niece. Never once.
Now, I do know that under Texas state law there are rights of the grandparents - though not too clearly defined - and I want to know if those rights can be extended to subsequent family members like the aunt and uncle.
And I do know that parents have the right to make decisions which are best for their child(ren). That goes without question. But when neither of us (this includes my other brother and his girlfriend) bring up the situation, share the same house and everything together and joke and laugh as always, and then THIS happens, how does one respond?
I am serious when I say that I haven't contacted my sister and her fiance (I don't even talk to her fiance's brother) by any means for over a month. Neither has my parents and younger brother. Talking won't help.
Anyway, are there any rights of subsequent family members to the child? I love my niece unconditionally and would never see any harm come to her, nor would I compromise her emotional and physical safey. I love my niece as if she were my own child. I don't want her to go through her life not knowing/seeing me, and me not seeing/knowing her.
What can I do? Is there a way legally to get visitation? I've nothing else to lose.
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