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Question: Does a minor have the right, when pregnant, to keep the baby against parental consent?

Answer: In Arizona, the parents of a pregnant minor cannot legally force their child to have an abortion. If the minor chooses to give birth and not place the baby with adoptive parents, the minor's parents are NOT legally obligated to support the baby. If the minor and the baby's father and any other willing relatives cannot or will not support or care for the baby, the government may step in. This could result in the baby becoming Dependent. Some Dependent children live with birth parents or other relatives but are subject to government monitoring. Other Dependent babies are placed in foster care.


Comments
16 thru 20 of 48 comments
On 12/17/04
from IL said:
this message is to angry dad from SC i think its horrible that you are refering to your grandchild as a "bastard child" and that you are going to turn your kid over to the state because she made a mistake its times like this that i realize that my parents actually love me
On 11/25/04
Melissa from CA said:
Hi, im 16 and i am 4 months pregnant. I have decided to keep the baby, against my mothers decision to have an abortion. Yes i am young, but can you imagine how guitly i would feel for the rest of my life if i had done that. Stuff happens, and you just have to learn how to deal with it.. i am graduating next year and going on to study law in univeristy. And the father is coping, not happy. But hes with me 100% love, melissa
On 11/02/04
rebekah from WA said:
in no way does a parent have any right to make someone give up THERE baby. any parent that wants to do that needs some real help and is a very stright up cold hearted person...my sister got pregent at 13 and i'm pregnet now and what i got from my single mother was all the suport i needed..just like she would had gotten from her home. yes think about the baby and dont be selfish and get over yourself cuz this is the baby and things like that happen..get over it and deal with it
On 10/06/04
Mary from AZ said:
You obviously live in your own little world. NOT EVERY teenager gets pregnant. The SMARTEST thing you could do is give the baby up for adoption. There are a lot of people that would love to have a baby and can't. If you half a brain don't ruin your live. If you keep this baby there goes your childhood right down the drain. Don't be selfish!!!!!!!!!!! Think about the baby!!!!!!!!!!
On 03/23/04
Afton from AZ said:
Let's get one thing straight, People make mistakes and teenagers are the majority of it. It is a normal thing for a teenager to get pregnant. It happens all the time. I'm not saying that it is right but hey stuff happens. Back about 50 years ago 14 year olds were getting married and having kids because their parents thought it was ok and wanted them to get out and start a new life. Things have changed since then but it still happens just not with the ok of a parent. In Arizona, after the age of 15 you can be married without the consent of a parent. In all other states it is 17 or 18.
16 thru 20 of 48 comments



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