Anyone's child

A friend of mine had a 21-year old son.
He is a nice looking blonde hair and blue eyed kid.
He married an equally cute blonde hair and blue eyed girl.
This boy has always been one to confront authority. He was caught drinking and driving twice. He ended up going to jail while his wife was pregnant with their first child.
The baby was born--a beautiful baby girl. She was mixed race with very dark features.
My friend's son was put on the birth certificate as the father.
My friend stepped in and NEVER judged this child--although she was a little bit miffed that the girl cheated on her son.
The girl filed for divorce from her son while he was in jail.
My friend filed for paternity rights for her son--and she took the little girl every other weekend and during the week.
The attorney fees were pretty pricey for this.
The little girl is 4 years old now and this thing has been in and out of court the entire time.
The biological paternal grandmother has now stepped forward to raise the child because the mother abandoned the child. The judge awarded her sole conservatorship.
My friend has been the only constant in this child's life, yet the grandmother feels that it is too confusing to this child since DNA has proven her son to be the legal father and he is paying support.
(My feelings are that a child can't have too many people in their life that love them, but what do I know?)
The judge is taking away my friends visitation and is leaving it up to the "real" family to decide what is right for the little girl.
What do you think?

I recall years ago in IL when they decided it was "wrong" for some foster parents to have a child, which was given back to its mother, who had a history of child abuse. Less than a month later, the child was dead.

Children need stability. They don't need this.

The kid's family are the people who love her and that should be respected.

It's nice that DNA grandma has stepped in to raise her and that DNA papa is paying his share of support. However, the grandma who loves her should be respected, too.

The law is a ass.

The biological father IS taking a role in the child's life which is wonderful.
Apparently they never knew the child existed until the last couple of years.
It's a tough situation all around.
My friend loves her dearly, but she too, wants what is best for her.

of Sean Astin's situation growing up.

If you've ever heard him talk about it, it's a touching story demonstrating how multiple people who love a child are a wonderful thing.

Sean Astin was legally raised as John Astin's son, but he could have been the biological son of 3 different men. All three men acted as fathers to him, loving him and giving him emotional support.

He eventually had a DNA test done and found out which was his biological father, but each of the men have remained close in his life, and he can still go to any of them for help or advice.

It's really touching and demonstrates very well that a child is better off having many people who love him/her than shutting some of them out because it might be "confusing". Despite his mother's emotional troubles throughout his childhood, Sean seems to have grown up to be a smart, stable, sensible guy. I suspect the support of his "fathers" were a big part of that.

I had never heard it before. Thank you for sharing.

20/20, Primetime, one of those kind of shows, but I don't remember which.