Hi my name is Maggie, I am 15 years old, and I am currently six months pregnant with a baby girl. My ex who is the baby's father is 22. He is seeking sole custody of the baby once it's born. I am scared, because I am 15 and I am in school full time, and I have a parttime job. I live with my parents, and my parents are allowing me to live with them with the baby. They are going to help me raise her. The question is because I am only 15 and not considered a legal adult in the eyes of the court, will I lose custody of my baby due to my age, but yet I will have help to raise my child, I just want to raise my child, and not worry about losing her to my ex who has had drug problems in the past, and he can be very abusive when he gets angry.

Maggie

You do not have to give up the child to a 22yr old with drug issues. I advise you and your parents to go see an attorney, so that you will be ready to go when the child is born in terms of you seeking sole custody if you believe his lifestyle and drug exposure is harmful to the child and the father receiving only supervised visitation in your home or under the supervision of DCS or another trusted third party, and then setting up limitations for that. After the child is born, if he does not agree to paternity, there is an action to establish paternity that is filed, then after that is in place, the court will hear on custody and support issues. As a practical matter, you are the mother of the child, but you and your parents should discuss with your attorney if it is best for you to be the custodial parent, or if your parents or mother should pursue legal guardianship of the child until you are over age 18.