He abandoned us!!!

[alonemom]

So my husband up and left me and my two kids..I dont know where he is and I dont know how to get in contact with him. He left us with nothing..I have no income coming in at all..I have no way of paying any bills or rent.. He told a family member that he was going to try and get custody of our two kids..He tries to claim that I am crazy and unstable and unable to take care of our kids...He does have a background of domestic violence...does anyone think it is possible for him to be able to get custody of our kids??? Is there anything that I could do to not let that happen??

[janM]

Is the DV documented? Any convictions? Witnesses? If not, it may not matter.

If you have been primary care-giver, it's likely you'll get residential custody with him having joint legal.

You could file first for divorce, custody and child support/spousal support (if applicable) and ask him to make house payments/rent. Whose name is on the lease?

You will need to work in any case. Will your family help you short-term?

[Ref]

It would be silly for him to claim that you are so unstable to care for your children yet he left them there with you when he moved. My advice is to gather all the evidence of DV (police reports etc) and get your financial info together. (If he left a paystub there or better yet a tax return, make copies). Then I would go and file for divorce and child support.

I hope you have family and friends to help you through this.

Take care,
Ref