Establishing child dependency may be necessary when…
- Parent (or other legal guardian) has abandoned child
- Parent has abused or neglected child
- Parent is destitute and therefore unable to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter or medical care to child
If a dependency finding is made during a dependency trial, legal custody of the child is turned over to Child Protective Services, who then determines the best option for the child’s future wellbeing and custodianship.
Cases of child dependency can be fraught with heartache and concern. If you are involved in a situation that involves a dependency hearing, don’t hesitate to call Reppucci and Roeder for legal representation.