Fort Lauderdale Divorce Lawyer Blog
A 23-year-old mother was recently charged with one count of child neglect after her 11-month-old son was found alone in a Miami motel room. According to police, the mother left her infant unattended in a playpen for several hours in a room at the motel on May 13th. A motel employee reportedly notified police the child was left alone after the employee entered the room to clean it. The child’s mother allegedly returned to the motel room more than two hours after authorities arrived. The mother reportedly told officers she left the child in the room because it was raining and she did not want him to get wet. Following the incident, she was taken into custody and later released on a $5,000 bond.
Last week, a Miami-Dade family court judge awarded temporary supervised custody of the baby to the woman’s parents. Judge Jeri Cohen expressed concern over awarding custody to the couple, however, as the woman’s father reportedly has a criminal record that includes a DUI manslaughter arrest. A follow-up court date during which Judge Cohen will make a long-term custody decision is scheduled for later this week. The mother has reportedly lost custody of all of her children, including one who was previously adopted by her parents. Judge Cohen ordered the mother, who is currently pregnant with her fourth child, to attend Alcoholics Anonymous and wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet. She also issued an order that stated the child’s grandparents must wear alcohol monitoring bracelets while the baby is in their custody.
Although it is unclear where the infant’s father is in this case, the custody of a couple’s child is always an especially emotional subject. Most parents worry about who will be tasked with caring for their children after a separation or divorce. In the State of Florida, a parent who would like to modify a child custody order must demonstrate that one of the parent’s circumstances has substantially changed. Additionally, the best interests of a couple’s child must also justify any requested change in custody. A family court judge will examine a number of factors following a request to modify custody. The factors include a parent’s fitness to raise the child, the child’s age, which parent is primarily responsible for the child’s upbringing, and the child’s own preference. Other relevant factors include allegations of child neglect, child abuse, or child abandonment, the moral fitness of the parents, and any evidence of sexual violence.
If you would like to modify your child custody arrangement, contact our experienced family law attorneys. Sandy T. Fox is a hardworking Miami child custody lawyer who focuses exclusively on family law. He is available to explain your legal options and help you evaluate what is in the best interests of your child.
To schedule a confidential consultation with a dedicated Fort Lauderdale family law attorney, call Sandy T. Fox toll free at (800) 596-0579 or contact him through his website today.
More Blog Posts:
Pet Custody Increasingly Plays a Factor in Florida Divorce Cases, Fort Lauderdale Divorce Lawyer Blog, May 18, 2012
WWE Star John Cena Files for Divorce in Florida, Fort Lauderdale Divorce Lawyer Blog, May 11, 2012
Additional Resources:
Grandparents awarded custody of infant left in motel, wsvn.com
Grandparents Of Baby Found Alone In Motel Room Granted Custody, Miami.cbslocal.com
Baby Found Alone In Motel Room, Grandma Granted Custody, Miami.cbslocal.com