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only he took off with no notice at all.

What I had to do was go down to the court and file for Temp. Emergency Custody.  He should be able to this himself.  I also suggest he see a laywer ASAP!! The more time that passes the more "status quo" is established.  Currently OK has jurisdiction until she establishes residency in TX...that usually takes 6 months so he needs to file NOW in OK!!!  He needs to get EMERGENCY Custody established...once he's done that, then she will have to return the children or face parental kidnapping charges!!

He CAN NOT wait on this...time is important!!!

Thankfully, the BM cannot go back to DOB...the most she can try for is 24 months and that's pretty iffy.

I am not a lawyer either...just been through it...You will have to file through FL courts because the child is a resident of that State.

Here is a self help site for FL:  http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/forms_rules/index.shtml

If the mother is not cooperating, you have quite the up-hill battle.  I suggest you STOP giving her money untill you have the "COURT ORDERED" child support amount.  The courts will only view what you are paying as a "gift".  You can however, keep the funds that you would normally give her in an account so once the CS is ordered, you can pay any arrearages straight off.

Do you still have the e-mails stating her reasoning for not letting you know?  You need to start documenting EVERYTHING, every attempted phone call, etc.  If you know the childs address, start corresponding through the mail, over e-mails, etc.  You want to be able to show that you are serious about establishing a relationship with your child.

You can sue all you want for custody, but you wont get it.  The fact is evident that your a "stranger" to your child...sad I know but still reality.

YOur best bet is to try to reach an agreement in regards to Visitation with the BM, be prepared, draw up your own parenting plan (there are examples on this site) and negotiate it with the BM.  A thing to remember is to ask for the world but know what you will settle for.

Also, family courts dont give a rats ass about "emotions".  You may feel things should be a certain way...that's not the way it goes.  They are only interested in the FACTS but not necessarily what is in the "Best interest of the child".  So the fact that the BM never notified you that you have a child is pretty much irrelevant...Depending on the judge and how he views it...he/she may or may not care.  

Welcome to the F'd up world of Family Law...sigh

and maybe he could get FULL custody...what  a NUT!!!

My brother had the same thing happen.  Question?  Are you paying support?  Does it go through the state?  Reason for this is so that the state DOES know who and where you are....

When my niece and nephew were put in foster homes, the agency tried to say they didn't know where my brother was...total BS since they were taking money from him...helloooo.

What you may have to do is try some way of finding out who their caseworker is and get on her/his good side.  My Brother's case worker was a real B!tch and cost him THOUSANDS in legal fees.

You obviously know what state they are in...do you know what county or city?  If you know those then hop on-line and start looking for the Health and Human Services agencies in that area.  Explain your situation and tell them you're trying to find out if they are OK and what you can do to help out.

Since they haven't been in for very long, CAS may have taken them temporarily until they gather all evidence about the situation at BM's.  This is why I said you need to find out who their case worker is and find out what exactly is going on....

Oh...btw...it took my brother over 2 years but he now has SOLE custody of his kids....their step-father was sexually abusing them.  He fought and fought for them but the state was fighting him...they wanted to give them back to the BM who is STILL married to the abusing sicko...but thankfully he's in JAIL and will be for another 12 years!!!

Do you have a custody order?

Do you have a CS order?  Is it through Child support enforcement, or do you pay directly, do you have a wage withholding order?

Do you have a visitation order?

What do you need DS's SS# for?  If you are paying support and havent seen the child then it's highly unlikely that you can claim him on any taxes and CS payments are not tax deductable.

http://www.blackbookonline.info/

for temp emerg. custody.  That way...BM could still leave, but the child would stay with him.  He needs to have all his ducks in a row though.  He needs a lawyer..ASAP!!!

Thankfully for him it was only about 6 months.  His kids were put in Foster care because their SF was sexually abusing them.  Social Services never tried to contact him AT ALL!!  Eventhough he had an active CS case!!  They claimed they didn't know where he was...BS!!  He lived in another state, dropped everything and moved to OR to get his kids.  Took him nearly 2 years and several THOUSANDS of dollars later...he was finally awarded custody!!

I'm going to send him this article...perhaps he could do the same??

The police wouldn't be getting you daughter.  YOU would be getting your daughter with a police escort of somesort so the BM doesn't interfere.