Parents need to be available for their children. Although the legal minimum provision for parental care may be support payments, quality time for parents to focus on their children’s upbringing is often considered a right for them.
But there is no right for parents to abuse their children or spouses. The presence of this sort of behavior may be a sign of an abuser’s deeper emotional problems. While the diagnosis of mental health disorders is vital, protecting innocent people is still a priority, especially if those people are children.
The tragic consequences of a sensational Connecticut divorce case that became a murder trial is causing a debate to resurface on the importance of noticing signs of abuse. The mother at the center of the case apparently recalled moments of feeling in danger leading up to the beginning of a divorce that took more than two years and included more than 400 filings from both parties.
The divorce case was dropped nearly a year after the wife’s disappearance when the husband reportedly committed suicide. But the records of the case include a statement by the wife that her husband said he would take the couple’s children and vanish.
Advocates believe that more can be done to notice early signs of abuse that could lead to situations like this.
A parent or guardian concerned about potential abuse has the right to seek help with the family court system and seek alterations to an existing custody schedule. An attorney can help guide this process and protect people’s interests in times of high emotion.
