Grandparents need rights

Letter to the Editor, Lake City Reporter/November 18, 1988

After reading Milton Heser's letter about his grandkids, I felt compelled to write. I'm sorry to say, Mr. Heser; your son is being controlled by a cult. Our wonderful government lets Meade get by with it by using the word ministries. It takes a strong-minded person not to let someone control them.

I feel your hurt. My daughter has been controlled by an ex-stepmother since the age of 8. She's now 44. I saw her in '94 for the first time in 22 years. She hasn't spoke to me since. I have three granddaughters I don't know. This woman has been out of the family for years but still controls my daughter and granddaughters. She allowed my daughter to get pregnant at age 15 then tried to get my grandson. I wouldn't allow it.

Having raised my grandson, I'm both grandmother and great-grandmother to his two children now ages 9 and 10. They're my heart. From the time they were born until 1996, most of their time was spent living with me. I gave them food; shelter, clothing and money before and after their mother divorced their dad in '94 She promised she'd never keep the kids from me.

In 1996, the children spent two months of the summer with me in Tennessee, where I lived. December of '96 I spent Christmas with them. July of '97 I bought a place in Lake City to be near them. Their mother remarried in August of '97. December of '97 I was told I couldn't see them anymore. When I told her she was taking their rights away, she said they had no rights until they got older. Then if they wanted to come see me, she couldn't stop them. By then I'll be in my 70s and missed out on years of their lives.

What in heaven's name has the state and the courts been fighting for, if not for the rights of children? Keeping a child from a grandparent is hurting the child as much as the grandparent. It used to be if the parents died or couldn't care for the children, the grandparents raised them. We don't have that right anymore.

I've been to hell, not once but twice. Maybe if we united and yelled loud enough, our voice would be heard and we could regain our rights in the human race.

Ann Sutton
Lake City

To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here.