It can be hard at times to separate the truth from lies, especially if one’s marriage is going through a rough time. While it may be possible for a marriage to recover from many lies, there are a few that may be seen as unforgivable. There may be some New Jersey residents who can sympathize with the plight of a parent who has paid child support for a child who later turns out to be biologically unrelated.
A woman in another state was recently arrested and charged with obtaining property by false pretense. Married to a Marine, she had stated that he was the father of her child. A report had been received by the sheriff’s office confirming this assertion, and the father was ordered to pay child support to the mother. He complied, allegedly paying a sum that may be in excess of $100,000.
It later transpired that the mother had successfully filed for child support in a second state, claiming that a second man was the child’s father. Her husband only discovered this information when his wife failed to comply with an order to bring the child for a DNA test. Later, her husband was proven not to be the child’s biological father. The ensuing investigation took over a year to complete as it involved two different states, and it was also discovered that the woman had claimed child support for the same child in at least two different names.
This may be an unusual and somewhat extreme case; however, it is likely that some New Jersey residents will have encountered similar situations. There is no doubt that such a discovery would be distressing for both the father and the child. Seeking advice appropriate to the circumstances will ensure that both the rights of the man and the best interests of the child are served in addressing child support payments.
Source: jdnews.com, “Maryland woman accused of lying about paternity to collect child support“, Sarah Hauck, Feb. 17, 2017