My brother-in-law was being abused by his girlfriend. He and his GF had a kid together and lived in Ohio. My wife and her family made a plan to rescue him by bringing him to his mom's (my mother-in-law's) house in New York. I suggested that we help him document the abuse, get a restraining order and a custody order so he could try to move away with his daughter. They made a different decision. THEY HAD HIM LEAVE HIS DAUGHTER BEHIND WITH HIS ABUSER without filing ANY motions in family court before he left the state!!!

I think what they did is unethical. That poor girl will grow up without a father and my BIL is going to have mental health issues as a result of being without her. I'm holding my tongue because they made a family decision and I don't want to be rude (after all, I'm an in-law)... plus what's done is done and me telling them that they screwed up isn't going to help anyone. But I have to tell somebody because it's tearing me up inside. So I'm venting here with you.