It is not uncommon to hear of parents in Georgia and elsewhere being arrested over custody disputes. When children are at the heart of an issue, it is easy for parents to make rash decisions that, in the end, hurt more than they help. This is what happened in another state when a young father and his dad attempted to collect his children from his estranged wife. It is believed that couple had yet to go through divorce proceedings, and a child custody order was not in place when this incident occurred.
The 31-year-old male allegedly broke into the residence of his wife in the summer of 2016 with the intent to gather his two children, ages 10 and 5, due to welfare concerns. He did this with the assistance of his father. Shortly after making his way into the home, he, his father and the children left the scene.
Police began searching for the men and children shortly after this incident was reported. Two hours later, the father went to the police station with his children to offer an explanation. Despite his concerns, he and his dad were placed under arrest and the kids were promptly returned home.
When a custody dispute gets out of hand, there are things that parents in Georgia and elsewhere can do to resolve the issue so that it does not become a criminal matter. An experienced family law attorney can assist a client in working out a child custody order that serves the best interests of the affected children. If necessary, a judge can be the one to make the final decision. Regardless of what legal steps are utilized, both parents with have the opportunity to express their concerns and work together or rely on the court to make sure that their children are placed in the best position possible moving forward.
Source: njherald.com, “Father, son charged with interference of custody entered into PTI“, Joe Carlson, March 21, 2017