Courts are most concerned about the best interests of a child when it comes to custody arrangements. As we’ve seen in many previous posts, there are a number of different factors that can influence the terms of the child custody agreement. But there have been cases where the court will step in and revoke custody if it believes the children are in danger.
Just recently a father lost custody of his kids. His story became national news because of his suspected involvement in his wife’s disappearance.
After his wife’s disappearance, the father was granted custody of the couple’s two boys. But as the investigation continued, officials kept him as a person of interest. Even now, speculation still surrounds her disappearance, especially since the father maintains his innocence.
The court stepped in and took the kids because the judge did not think the children were safe. One major concern was because of the suspected involvement in the disappearance. But the court was also worried that the children were at risk staying with the father, who was living with his dad.
The boys’ grandfather was charged earlier this month with several criminal charges, including possession of child pornography. The grandfather has allegedly always kept pornography in his home, even when his children were young.
Now the court has granted temporary custody to the missing wife’s parents. The father is disputing the new custody arrangement, claiming that it is not in the best interest of his children to be with their maternal grandparents. He has even gone so far to say that he’d rather have the children placed in foster care if he cannot take care of them.
Source: MSNBC: “Husband of missing Utah mom Susan Powell not getting kids back,” Sept. 29, 2011
