If a parent leaves their child with you for an extended period of time, and you wish to continue to care for the child, New Mexico law allows you to acquire guardianship over the child. This law, referred to as the Kinship Guardianship Act, applies to situations in which a parent has left a child with another person for more than ninety (90) days without “appropriate care, guidance, or supervision.” When the court issues an order appointing the caretaker as a kinship guardian, the parent’s rights are temporarily suspended and transferred to the kinship guardian. The kinship guardian is responsible for and allowed to make nearly all of the decisions that a parent can make.
Meredith Baker can help you determine if kinship guardianship is the process for you and your family, and assist through that process.