There can be a number of reasons why a Pennsylvania parent loses custody of a child. Trying to regain child custody can often feel like an uphill battle. One mother has a long road to travel as she tries to reclaim the child custody rights of her three children.
The woman says she was a drug addict and tried to get into an inpatient rehab program, but they would not accept her because the pregnancy test she took came back positive. The only option available to her was outpatient. One day when she was eight months into her pregnancy, she and her boyfriend snorted the drugs heroin and Xanax. Several hours later, she gave birth in a fast food restaurant bathroom but was so high she did not realize at the time she had done so. The child, a boy, survived, and police responding to an emergency call got mother and son to the hospital.
Four months later, the woman has been sober since that day and is taking the necessary steps to be a mother again. She is working toward getting a college degree and would like to be a counselor to other women who are wanting to overcome drug addiction. In addition to the baby boy, she has an 8-year-old and a 5-year-old for whom she is fighting. She says, as horrible as the circumstances around the birth were, they probably saved her life.
Whether fighting a child custody battle against an ex or against a state agency, it is important to not let emotions get out of control. Although a judge’s verdict is never guaranteed, there are steps a parent can take to present an organized and focused case. A skilled Pennsylvania attorney can inform a client of the state’s requirements and effectively prepare him or her for the looming battle.
