I don't know anything about custody issues. Please, make sure you tell CPS EVERYTHING about what happened the last time they saw the boys and when you tried to have a meeting. It really sounds like CPS will have enough cause to take the boys out of that hell hole.

I'm glad you posted. I have been wondering about the situation. Good luck and stay strong!

Sometimes it takes a lot to get CPS (being overworked as they are) to do anything. I've had problems with getting the police to do anything. I believe, and this just with my very very limited background on custody (which differs from state to state) that the state must take custody away from the parents first and then you would have the right to potition for custody to keep them out of the state system. I suggest getting a lawyer. Sometimes they'll do a free consult with you and just let you know what your options are, if there are any. Also, keep a journal of everything that goes on that you know about and write down the time and date so that if you are ever called to testify you will have all the necessary information.

The best suggestion I have for you is to find a family law practice attorney that will guide you on what needs to be done. Custody laws vary from state to state and are implemented differently from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. This is a legal minefield that you REALLY need a good attorney to help you navigate through. If the laws are such that you CAN file for custody, effectively removing the children from the birth parent(s), then that can force CPS into moving you up on their priority chain.

God bless you for being there for your cousins. Not everyone would be so forthright and willing to "rock the boat."

I am not sure how the family court works in your state. But I know that when it comes to child welfare and having to have them removed from the home that they would rather put the children with a relative. Usually in this case it is a grandparent. I am not usre about this since it is a cousin. You should check into this and call a lawyer on it. File for custody of the kids yourself through the family courts. As soon as a report is made CPS has 60 days to complete their investigation. I hope you gave them your number and to contact you since you have all the viable information that the mother and step father will try to keep secret like the therapy sessions etc. But unfortunatly it is the parents that have to sign the release forms for the therapist to be able to talk to them also. But then it may not look good to CPS if they do not sign the releases. Make a copy of all the information and documents that you have in that binder. Actually make 2 copies (3 in all) have one that you take with you to the lawyers etc one stored in a neutral home (I have chosen a friend of mine to keep mine) and a third for you to have on hand at home. That way you do not have to worry about it getting taken again. I hope it all goes well for those precious boys. They need a lot of love and guidece and I hope the courts will allow you to do this for them!

I did talk with a laywer, for a long time today. He had to research some of the finer points of the law because of the rarity of my siuation. Bascially I can not bring a suite to courts because I don't own one-okay bad joke I am trying to keep a postive outlook, but I just want to cry!
Anyway I am a fourth degree relative. My mom could, but she is nutter than them. So we wait on CPS. At age 12 the child can sign a document Independant Grounds stating he longer wants to reside with his parents, they may or may not listen to his request to be placed with me. Roy is old enough. If CPS doesn't work out we may try this, and we may anyway.
Right now I am going to act like everything is hunky doray. I will tell her that since she failed to agree to my demands that I did notify CPS as I said I would. I will tell the children in secret that i am not giving up, the can realy keep secrets. Then make mom think I am surrending. I am taking some of the boys stuff to the house this afternoon to try and accidentialy run into the step father, he would love to get rid of the boys. I will be poilte and tell him the meeting Friday was suppose to be all of us and that I would like to talk to him sometime. I will say I am bringing the stuff back because the boys and I won't be spending much time together anymore and that I want to cut all the loose ends. I will make photo copies of all the papers and return them to mom tomorrow, another reason to bug them. I will be kind though. I will then schedule a mock trip back to my home state and not tell them, but have a friend who is a travel agent call the wrong number and spill the beans. When the family asks I will say I don't want to fight anymore and I am just weighing my options and applying for some jobs. Once CPS decides what they are doing I will try to get the boys that way or have the older one go to the police. I am so dam n pissed, and in tears. I wont give up on them, NEVER, but I feel like I need to make the family think they are winning.

Went by CPS last night, got an appointment for this morning. When I dropped the stuff at the house last night I wrote on the outside of the envelope the doc appointment times and cost for Roy and taped the insurance cards to the envelope so the step dad would see them...he did and did not get upset. Rather he feels I am trying to take over the family, the mom has not told him that she has kicked me out of their lives.

CPS is not likely going to pull the kids. I am now their "mole". The investagtor could not believe I had power of attorney on Roy, nor that the mom had not taken him to his appointments. He wishes I had taken Aaron into the doc, but since i did not have POA, I would not have had a legal leg to stand on.

He is calling the pschratrist and will be demanding the family get into therapy. He believes their is more going on than we know, and believe domestic violence is part of that and will be having the Step Dad take anger managment as well. I am in the file as first to be consider for placement if they should pull the children, but it looks unlikely. Just need to play by her rules and help the kids as much as legally I can. They do call me after the parents go to bed, which is making for some short nights/long days.

Talked to my mother last night, she told me to "back down"-that is what everyone is saying. I told her the situation was either going to end up with someone in jail, or me needing to ID a body. She got upset at that point and changed the subject. I did clean out my house and returned everything to the mother yesterday and i almost put my hunting knife in the younger boy's bag-I know bad idea.

Hopefully CPS can get the tempers from boiling over to a gently boil. Will keep posting-DJ

for update and whole story read my journal entry of July 15