Do Grandparents Have Rights To Keep Grandchildren When Neglect Is Suspected?

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Angela_Montgomery]Angela Montgomery
Thousands upon thousands of grandparents each year are forced to agonize over this heart-wrenching, tragedy-inducing question. When it comes to our grandchildren & our unconditional love for them...words are woefully inadequate. Theirs' is a pure, sweet and innocent love...treasured in the deepest recesses of our world-weary hearts. How is it possible we find ourselves asking the unbearable, unthinkable question, "Do grandparents have rights to keep grandchildren from their own parent?"
If we are grandparents whose grandchildren are being physically or verbally assaulted, neglected or used as weapons in a war of attrition, the only answer we want to hear is, "Yes, you have every right to keep those precious babies safe in your arms and the law will stand behind your beliefs & judgment."
Without emotion or hesitancy, this is the answer we will hear...every...single...time:
"No. Parental custody and control is sacrosanct; criminal charges will be forthcoming against you for kidnapping and you will be thrown in jail unless you can produce solid proof of physical abuse, abandonment, or neglect."
So long as no legal paperwork exists terminating parental rights, if the parents have placement/custody - and you can provide no proof of abuse to the proper authorities - you MUST return the children immediately. (With the opinionated caveat of the author that nothing so physically/psychologically earth-shattering has occurred which would cause you to take them "underground"...in which case you'd better have big bucks for an extremely high-powered attorney & a mountain of evidence.)
Neglect and abuse are unbelievably hard to prove in a court of law. Over 800,000 children each year are physically abused and/or neglected in the United States of America. As verbal abuse is rarely proven by legal definition - and therefore not counted as empirical data - many more thousands of children suffer in silence, and without hope. Perhaps your grandchildren are among this group...perhaps not. Even so, a lengthy paper trail of documentation is required before a judge will even consider removing a child from the guardianship of biological/custodial parents.
So that's the bad news. Take the time you need to sit on the pity pot...just be sure to flush when you've finished. And please don't take too long because there's work to be done. Someday, God willing, no one ever again need ask the question, "Do grandparents have rights to...?"
The good news is that you can - in time - prove a case, if one exists. Use your frustration, heartbreak, anger & worry and channel it into making a difference for your grandchildren as quickly - and methodically - as possible. Get involved. If there are school and/or Sunday-school teachers, coaches, day-care providers - introduce yourself. Once trust is established, share your concerns.
A word of warning here! There is a very fine line to be walked when acting on behalf of children who are being seriously harmed - whether it be emotional, physical, sexual, or verbal. Be dead certain of your information and be able to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that your actions take ONLY the best interests of your grandchildren into consideration. Examine your motives.
Just as the villagers finally refused to rescue the shepherd boy after falsely crying, "Wolf!" one too many times, every time a dispute escalates and a case is lost because a grandparent with a nose out of joint threw a temper tantrum - the question "Do grandparents have rights?" goes right out the window. Instead, we hear, "See?! It was just a meddling, old witch who doesn't have a life...that right THERE is the reason that grandparents shouldn't have rights!"
And another grandchild loses her legacy...
May your Higher Power's strength carry you through these terrible waters dear grandparents, and may your grandchildren be nestled safely on the Wings of Grace,
Angela
P.S.Very often when a grandparent begs the question "Do grandparents have rights?" they are being denied access to their grandchildren. In the resource section below, I have included a link to a page with ideas on what to do should find yourself in this terrible place of loneliness & despair. As one who has experienced the agony of lost grandchildren, I understand.
Angela Montgomery is Chief Editor for GrandparentsRights911.com. She is a leading authority on grandparents rights and tirelessly advocates for laws granting the rights of children to have a loving relationship with their grandparents. For more information, resources & support on the question [http://www.grandparentsrights911.com/do-grandparents-have-rights/]Do Grandparents Have Rights or to discover what to do if your [http://www.grandparentsrights911.com/grandparents-visitation-rights-denied/]Grandparent Visitation Rights Are Denied be sure to visit the GrandparentsRights911.com website.
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