Southern California Family Law Attorney Blog

In California, it is against the law for an adult to have sex with a minor, whether the contact is consensual or not. If a child is conceived during the act, it may be necessary for the grandparents of the child to step up and care for the baby, especially in situations where the adult father is charged with the crime and the mother is young herself. If the parties involved are not able to resolve the issue of child custody on their own and in an amicable way, a judge may be forced to do it for them.

A soldier on leave was discharged from the military under less than ideal circumstances after he impregnated a 14-year-old girl. Although he was tried through a military court and acquitted, the maternal grandparents of the baby want his rights terminated and do not want him to have visitation with the child.

The father maintains his innocence from the charges, and claims he simply wants to enjoy his parental rights as the boy’s father. The mother of the child feels she did not receive justice after her family agreed to let the military handle the criminal trial, and the military failed to convict him.

At the heart of the matter is a young toddler who needs to be cared for who has lived with his maternal grandparents since he was born. With solid evidence that the soldier made the bad decision to have intercourse with a 14-year-old girl, the grandparents may get their wish to have his rights terminated. A judge will hear the case presented by the attorney of the grandparents at a hearing in the near future.

Source: Source: The Kansas City Star, "Former soldier wants custody of child he conceived with 14-year-old Missouri girl," June 18, 2013