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DFS took custody of SD, somehow I am the pariah

dontwanttobefigured's picture

So, some may recognize my story from earlier on the board. My SD, now 16, had an emotional incest/Electra thing going with DH. She battered by daughter, had drugs in the house, threatened my life and the life of my baby, partied around doing anal sex, and so much more. I finally had enough and told DH she had to go since she was a danger and refused to change and get help. She has been with her mom since January, and has had little to no contact with DH in that time, her choice, because he won't divorce me and be only with her. Fine by me, she is toxic and in my view needs a mental health hospital, after threatening to kill an infant and so on.

Her mom is a drunk. DFS has been involved for many months, and finally last week mom had ANOTHER DUI, hit a car and ran, hit a tree twelve times, hit a garage, totalled her car, barricaded herself into the family home, so on. SD was taken into state custody and placed temporarily with her 21 year old sister, boyfriend and baby. I saw on DH text message that 21 said "dontbefigured is not family. She should not be at the hearing. You need to be a dad and just be there for us." I was seething - 21 love to have me babysit her baby (10 mos) for free whenever she can, despite me having a 3 month old myself and a busy job an dfour other kids. She is happy for us to go together to take her to nice dinners, movies, etc. But now I am "not family" and should be excluded from things. No shock - this is SD 16 attitude also.

I decided not to go to the family dinner that night, involving the whole fam. I'm not family, and I am hated as is my child, by DH's other two daughters. Toxic. Don't need it. Besides those, I also had plans, known by all, to meet a friend that evening, and DH and I had already informed all that we would only be there for half an hour or so. DH refuses to attend without me, so the family function is missed. 21 calls me that afternoon, to "clear the air" but I don't pick up - I was on an important call and frankly feel no desire to talk to her yet. The next day, she sends DH a nasty text about how I am rude for not taking her call and how I am insecure for keeping him from the family meal. Whatevs, I told him to go, he refused, and he stirred the pot with her, misspeaking by telling her I think she hates me. I don't know or care how she feels about me - I want loose of the drama at this point, from all of them. So, no dinner and DH didn't go either, his choice.

I ask DH to clarify his mistaken comments about me thinking I am hated. He does so via text. Tells the girls they must respect me, that he and I are a team and will go together to things or not at all. No word back. Fine. I know they are mad, and there is this who DFS thing coming up to make someone else the bad guy in deciding what to do about SD.

Today we went to see his family, in town for the weekend and whom we didn't see the other night because I really didn't want to cope with the hateful SDs and the tension in the room. Surprise - attack from Bro in law and Sis in law. DH had let them know that DFS may be calling them for placement of SD, since she cannot live with us. They have heard over and over about the issues SD has, and the reasons she can't live here. Today they attack DH as a bad dad, as having given up on SD, as being the cause of her issues etc. They turn hatred on me because I hotlined the situation with the drunk mom so much - I did this because despite all taht has happened with SD, she is a child and she needs help. I am also a mandated reporter, so I have no choice. I explained this and almost got hit - they said they are a a good family and SD is a good kid and I shouldn't do the legal thing, but should just love her more. I tried explaining that as a mandated reporter I have no choice but to hotline abuse and neglect but all they can see is we won't let Sd live here. Fine. We talk about court and I explain the system to them; they behave horribly when I tell them that a court order will determine the contact of DH and BM with the child. "Oh we don't have to follow that, we can let DH come to dinner and jus thave alone time with SD, no matter what the court says." they say. Essentially they plan to break the court order if they want to, and also plan to try to have "family dinners" with DH and Sd but excluding me and our son, so that SD will be happy.

To his credit, DH says outright, he won't have SD in the home because of her own behaviors. He also defends that we must follow the court orders, when they come down. The BIL and SIL are upset with him about this, and point at me as the villain. We leave.

21 calls and wants child support for SD 16. Dh gets off the phone, and he basically says we will go into debt to pay for her entire keep as well as buy her a car. I protest - half of his income goes to alimony for BM already and he pays nothing on our bills together. He wants to go way way beyond what the court figures for child support (500 or so monthly) and pay 1000 monthly plus a car. I am livid, and seething, and silent right now. He doesn't pay a dime on the mortgage, the utilities, or the nanny for our child. He pays one half of groceries and the cell phone bill. That's it....And he wants to further deplete what he pays or put US in debt (he specifically said WE will have to go in debt to giv eher a car). This is a bitter bitter pill this week especially - my kids in college just found out his income must be used for their financial aid and they will no longer GET financial aid. It is doubtful they can finish college because of this.

I am so mad. So mad. His goddamn chewing is annoying me now.

emotionaly beat up's picture

From what you say, there is nothing I can say. You are clearly doing the right thing here, your husband is not.

If the house is in your name only in would probably be in your best interests to pay the mortgage yourself that way he hopefully would never have a claim on your home. However if he is entitled to half that house, than I would be damned sure he was paying half the mortgage.

Surely the court would not be ordering so much money and a car to be paid for SD 16. With her history, should she even have a car, is it safe for her and other road users to have one.

He cannot put you in debt for this. If push comes to shove seperate your finances and make him pay his share of the bills, then whatever is left over from his money he can give to his daughter I guess.

So sorry I do understand this shit, I've lived the "I want my preciouse to have everything" lifestyle. It is so wrong, but the person who ultimately suffers the most is precious who never learns to live in the real world.

He will of course have to now contribute to half the cost of your children's college education as his income is the reason they lost financial aid. Fairs fair, if he can give his daughter a $1000 per month then your kids have to get $1000 per month too. He may have to take on a couple of extra jobs to do this, but why should the wild one get rewarded for bad behaviour and the ones doing the right thing be punished for doing the right thing. After your kids get their $1000 per month see how much he has left over.

stepmonster_2011's picture

Wow.

1. Do NOT let your DH take YOU into debt because he wants to buy his delinquent child a car. (BTW - that is redic - buying a car for a badly behaved child? It is called a job - she should get one.)

2. Why does your DH's income get counted for your kids' financial aid? Shouldn't it be yours and your ex? (this is a genuine question - I would have thought it like child support in that the step parent's income can't be included)

3. Is your DH bad at math? Does he realize that by throwing MORE money at the problem he is making the problems worse? What does he think he will have to pay in child support when you divorce his sorry ass? Then how is he going to buy his sweet demon daughter a car? And you know - feed himself?

StickAFork's picture

Did you just get married? If not, then your DH's income should have already been counted on the FAFSA if your kids are already in college.
Yes, posters, FAFSA takes into account the income of the bioparent AND the stepparent for financial aid purposes. Otherwise, you could have a SAHM (custodial) who doesn't "have" to work because her hubby makes bank. Well, mom doesn't have a decent income BECAUSE her hubby makes bank. Bingo, bango, justification for inclusion of income.

OP, don't know what to tell ya. If you don't want him fully supporting his kid, bring her into your home. If you refuse that, well, you're shit outta luck, imo.
DH is going to do what he is going to do. Good luck stopping that.

stepmonster_2011's picture

Good to know! My oldest is a junior in HS - so we'll be embarking on this part of the educational fun in the next few months. Appreciate the info.

StickAFork's picture

Make sure you/he file January 1 of his senior year for the best results. You can't file sooner, but don't wait. Smile

dontwanttobefigured's picture

Yes, we just got married.

And yes, I will support him fully supporting her - the amount court ordered and not a dime above it.

I am disengaging as of today - it is highly overdue.

dontwanttobefigured's picture

"fully supporting" his kid in this case equals twice what court ordered and additionally a car; it also means providing ZERO support to his other child, and contributing nothing at all to our household.

Anon2009's picture

Wow. What a hard situation.

Is there any way dh could ask the state to put her in a center for troubled teens, or mental hospital?

I do think parents should spend one on one time with their kids every now and then.

This kid shouldn't be with this 21-year-old.

Thatonegirl's picture

I never used my step father or mothers income on my FASFA. My step siblings didn't either.. I'm pretty sure that they don't HAVE to have access to his earnings.. I could be wrong, but I don't see why they would come after some and not all.

StickAFork's picture

If you lived with your mother, you should have... unless you were grown and independent. This only applies for dependent students as defined by the FAFSA gods.

emotionaly beat up's picture

Yes she should, but daddy is feeling guilty. Odd, isn't it. They have so much guilt about these daughters they had with BM but apparently have no guilt whatsoever about children they have with a second wife, and no guilt about what they are doing to the second wife.'

I guess second is just that, second best.

I would tell him to ram it where the sun don't shine. This is grossly unfair and he damn well knows it. Don't let him bully you into this. A 21 year old is not capable of bringing up a troubled teen. She clearly can't live in your home. He needs to find some other arrangement for her. But throwing money at her is not the answer. Miss 21 year old is just being a smart alec.....shows her maturity levels doesn't it.

Delilah's picture

By all means disengage and that includes:

*Not attending any family events/meetings
*Not financially supporting or providing any assistance for his children/family who have been abusive and threatening towards you/your ds
*Protecting yourself against these determined people, including changing your home phone number so you do not have to endure the stress of wondering if one of these people is on the other line, not speaking to these people/answering the their calls.

Seems to me that the reason DH's family are turning on you is because they are desperate for DH to take sd16 into your home no matter what. They are likely panicking over what to do with her and the responsibility of looking after her (which I can appreciate) and DH is the solution to this problem. Unfortunately they evidently will not listen to the genuine reasons why this is not possible (all down to sd's actions) and are enabling her to continue with her craziness by guilting DH by any means possible.

I would advise YOU to do the above and inform DH he can do what he wants regarding sd's care so long as it does not involve you, your home or the child she threatened harm to however you feel seeing as circumstances have changed and he is considering getting into debt to manage things, that you have have to reassess your own income as follows:

He is now responsible for 50% of the bills and mortgage including the nanny.

If he has a problem with that then he can move out and pay CS and alimony. His choice, however you will not be manipulated by him and his family, who are ALL (including him to a degree) keen to throw you under the blame and financial bus to lessen the guilt over fuck up sd. Why indeed should you and DS suffer any more for the failings by everyone else, when neither of you are guilty of anything?

Seriously girl, I wouldnt be biting my tongue. I would be hitting the frigging clouds with anger. Kudos to DH for sticking up for you and standing by his wife and son, however has he lost his freaking mind? Yes, he has to support sd by that doesnt mean sacificing his entire families stability when its not HIS money he is using. Not only has he not approached you for your opinion firstly, but he just declares this without thought as to WHO is bankrolling it? WHY would YOU want to purchase a car for a teen who has abused and harassed you? I tell you what, why not buy her a gun and give her your account number while you are at it... :jawdrop:

Crazy. Let him make stupid choices, but do not be dragged down with him and certain do NOT enable it by financially propping him up so he hand over his salary while he doesnt support DS. Fuck. He needs to be paying towards HIS upkeep too and towards your home, what does he think he is? A baby making charity case?

emotionaly beat up's picture

Well Delilah really has laid it all out for you. Read over what she has said again and again until it sinks in because she is 100% right