Location: Dakota County MN
I have a really difficult situation here. About a year ago my mom had a mental breakdown/mid-life crisis. My mom and my stepdad live separately and my little (half) brother (14) used to go between houses and stay with them both on a routine schedule. When my mom had this breakdown, I told my brother to walk home from school to my dad’s house so he wouldn’t see my mom in the state she was in. However, even once my mom had time to heal and get her shit together my stepdad did not want to let my brother see my mom again. For a while he allowed me to see my brother still, but after I asked him why he couldn’t see my mom anymore he stopped letting me see him too. Keep in mind there is no legal contract/ agreement to my stepdad having full custody of my brother. It has been a little over a year since i’ve seen my brother now. I consistently reached out to my brother and texted him to try and keep in touch but i believe my stepdad either changed my brothers phone number or blocked me on his phone because i haven’t been able to speak to him in a year. I’ve also reached out to my stepdad to ask if i can talk to him and I never get a response. I am only 20 and i do not have money for a lawyer, where should i start? I just want to see my brother again and I want my brother to see his mom again. We’ve gone to the house multiple times, i’ve dropped off letters at my brother’s school with my phone number so he can contact me but I think my stepdad has intercepted all of it. I’m worried that my mom can be hit with voluntary abandonment because it’s been over 6 months with no contact, but her and I have both consistently been trying. What can I do? where can i start? i’ve avoided calling the cops up until this point because i figured they wouldn’t be able to do anything. Please i’m begging for answers 🙏
edit: please upvote if you read this far, I’m really desperate for any help.