The Carter family is fighting a legal war over the custody of Bobbie Jean Carter‘s 9-year-old daughter.
According to legal documents, obtained by The Blast, Nick and Aaron Carter’s mother — Jane Schneck is attempting to get full custody of Bobbie’s child in the weeks following her tragic death.
In the filing, Jane and her husband, Gregory, are asking the court to order that the minor, whose mother passed away in December, remain in their care instead of a “non-relative” that Bobbi reportedly left her with right before her death.
Bobbie Jean Carter’s Parents In Legal Fight With Daughter’s Alleged Aunt Over Custody
In the emergency petition, Jane and Gregory filed on January 17, they note that they are the most suitable candidates to be granted temporary custody because (the minor) has primarily lived with them for most of her life, and her mother is dead.
The maternal grandparents also note that the alleged father of the preteen, Richard Marreo-Campos, is not listed on her birth certificate, and they never established paternity or ordered child support. Unfortunately, he passed away seven years ago.
The filing outlines that even though Bobbi Jean’s death made her consent unavailable, she had entrusted her daughter to someone named Yvette Rodriguez before her passing.
However, Yvette — who is not a relative and had minimal contact with the child before her mother’s death, is unwilling to release the child to Jane and Gregory.
But, Yvette is now opposing Jane’s petition, and a court date is set for March 15, 2024, to determine custody.
Mrs. Carter’s filing points out she has spent significant time with the grandparents over the past year, having her own room with all her belongings at their home.
Despite lacking written documentation enabling her and her husband to make necessary decisions for her, Jane requests temporary custody until their granddaughter turns 18 or is no longer dependent.
They argue it is in the child’s best interest because of her close bond with them, having primarily lived with them in the stability of their home.
Interestingly, a temporary order has been granted, and the child is currently living with the Carter family. A hearing is set in March to address making a permanent order. Regarding Yvette, she claims she is a “paternal aunt” and has filed a motion to intervene and overturn the temporary custody orders.
Yvette asserts that the child had been residing with her since last August and that the minor was taken from her custody on the day the temporary custody order was granted to Jane and the Carter family.
The alleged paternal aunt claims to possess a signed, written consent from Bobbie Jean to look after her daughter before her death. She also states that she had educational guardianship over the child, who was enrolled in school and excelling academically.
Additionally, she mentions that the 9-year-old’s cell phone number has been changed, and contact with her has been severed. Yvette also alleges that Jane and Gregory did not meet the statutory criteria necessary to file for temporary custody.
Obviously, this is gearing up to be a legal battle.
Nick Carter’s Mom Shares Heartbreaking Response To Bobbie Jean’s Death
Amid the legal custody battle, it is worth noting that her mother’s sudden passing marked the third tragedy for the Carter family, following Aaron’s death at the age of 34 in November 2022 and Leslie’s death at 25 in January 2012.
The aftermath of the tragedy left Jane in disbelief and grief as she revealed that her daughter’s death had left her daughter without both her mother and father. In her statement, she conveyed:
“I am in shock from learning of the sudden death of my daughter, Bobbie Jean, and I will need time to process the terrible reality of this happening for the third time. [H]owever deeply a parent feels the loss of a child, the suffering of a young child at the loss of a parent must be much greater.”
After appealing to onlookers to “say a prayer” for her “precious eight-year-old granddaughter,” the matriarch of the Carter clan added, “When I am able to think clearly, I’ll release a fuller statement, but until then, I would request to be left to grieve in private.”