What Can I Do?

[CavFan]

My cousin lives in Kentucky and I live in Tennessee. He has been brain-damaged by a car wreck and now has the mind of a child. His girlfriend severly abuses him. This last time he had to have emergency plastic surgery to repair his face. All the girl gets is about 6 months in jail. What can I do to help my cousin besides pray?

 

[Beautiful Fireball]

My cousin lives in Kentucky and I live in Tennessee. He has been brain-damaged by a car wreck and now has the mind of a child. His girlfriend severly abuses him. This last time he had to have emergency plastic surgery to repair his face. All the girl gets is about 6 months in jail. What can I do to help my cousin besides pray?

Can't his family get a restraining order against her or something? Does she have the rights to handle all of his legal stuff, or do other members of the family?

Honestly, there is really not much you can do besides pray. Does he have any family that is close by him, or just his GF? Just continue to pray and do research on what you can do to stop the abuse he is getting from his GF. I am assuming she is also his caregiver, and you can also research what happens to caregivers who abuse their patients and go from there. Not much other advice I can offer you, but just continue to pray, and you will be in my prayers also.

 

[tapero]

My cousin lives in Kentucky and I live in Tennessee. He has been brain-damaged by a car wreck and now has the mind of a child. His girlfriend severly abuses him. This last time he had to have emergency plastic surgery to repair his face. All the girl gets is about 6 months in jail. What can I do to help my cousin besides pray?

Hi CavFan, I am so sorry to hear this story. Is there any way that you can report every incident. I'd ask the police who you inform about these things. Maybe he needs the state to take care of him (ugh), but I think he'd be safer. If he had a public defender help him get out from under her abuse. I know there is laws for elder abuse, and there's got to be special laws for care-giver abuse also. I pray for your cousin that he be safe and well taken care of.

God bless you for caring, Tapero

 

[lilymarie]

My cousin lives in Kentucky and I live in Tennessee. He has been brain-damaged by a car wreck and now has the mind of a child. His girlfriend severly abuses him. This last time he had to have emergency plastic surgery to repair his face. All the girl gets is about 6 months in jail. What can I do to help my cousin besides pray?

Your family may need to intervene in order to get what is called "power of attorney". This will give the family the legal rights to help someone who cannot help themselves.

I would suggest contacting your local family court section (call your local police, court station, City Hall, etc and get the referral numbers to your local family court system, or call an attorney for free advice.)

If the GF is not considered to be married to him by common law marriage, then the court will decide who is best to have power of attorney over your cousin's well being.

Try to do all you can do, and yes keep praying for wisdom and for God to lead the way!

There is hope for your cousin. You just need legal advice in my opinion. Call an attorney who specializes in "family law". Okay? Can you do that? An attorney who specializes in family law should be able to give you the advice you are seeking. Sometimes you will get a run around on the telephone, but don't give up. Eventually, you will find the right person or persons with correct information to help your cousin.

I'm so sorry to hear this. However, power of attorney within his family might need to be decided upon as this is not his legal wife.

 

[CavFan]

Can't his family get a restraining order against her or something? Does she have the rights to handle all of his legal stuff, or do other members of the family?

Honestly, there is really not much you can do besides pray. Does he have any family that is close by him, or just his GF? Just continue to pray and do research on what you can do to stop the abuse he is getting from his GF. I am assuming she is also his caregiver, and you can also research what happens to caregivers who abuse their patients and go from there. Not much other advice I can offer you, but just continue to pray, and you will be in my prayers also.

He was living with his grandparents, because his parents couldn't handle him. He got in trouble with his grandparents though and has since been living with his girlfriend again. The rest of his family won't stick up for him. The police in his town know all about him and his injury because he was in a lot of trouble in the past. They know what happens to him but don't do anything about it.

 

[CavFan]

Your family may need to intervene in order to get what is called "power of attorney". This will give the family the legal rights to help someone who cannot help themselves.

I would suggest contacting your local family court section (call your local police, court station, City Hall, etc and get the referral numbers to your local family court system, or call an attorney for free advice.)

If the GF is not considered to be married to him by common law marriage, then the court will decide who is best to have power of attorney over your cousin's well being.

Try to do all you can do, and yes keep praying for wisdom and for God to lead the way!

There is hope for your cousin. You just need legal advice in my opinion. Call an attorney who specializes in "family law". Okay? Can you do that? An attorney who specializes in family law should be able to give you the advice you are seeking. Sometimes you will get a run around on the telephone, but don't give up. Eventually, you will find the right person or persons with correct information to help your cousin.

I'm so sorry to hear this. However, power of attorney within his family might need to be decided upon as this is not his legal wife.

The problem is that his family doesn't want to take care of him. They get upset when his GF abuses him, but none of them want to be responsible for him. He's 21 years old. I'm only 18 and not sure what I can do.

 

[lilymarie]

Can you ask your Pastor or the elders of your church to help you possibly find a board and care placement for your friend?

I can't believe his family won't help.

That is very, very sad to hear.

 

[CavFan]

Can you ask your Pastor or the elders of your church to help you possibly find a board and care placement for your friend?

I can't believe his family won't help.

That is very, very sad to hear.

My dad is the pastor of my church. It's not that parents won't help, but that they are unable to. They have tried and things just don't work out. He has escaped from their house in the middle of the night and stole their car to go find this girl. His family that lives in the same town as him just act like they don't see anything that goes on. Some of them have tried to help him also, but he doesn't want any help. I wish the state would see that he cannot be taken care of and put him in an institution of some sort. Even the police who know about the situation won't do anything about it.