Ex-wife’s behavior wrecking son’s life

Tue., June 11, 2013

Kathy Mitchell

Dear Annie: My son’s ex-wife has reported him to child protective services six times and to the police for various things she’s invented over the past three years. Due to her false accusations, he has been arrested three times. He has been found innocent of all charges, but she persists.

She charged him with violating a restraining order and appeared in court last week flanked by bodyguards supplied by victim services. This charge was thrown out. My son has never touched her, but she has convinced many people that he is dangerous.

My son has become so paranoid, he barely leaves his house. He is so depressed that he can barely function and is unable to work. She is slowly killing him. Is there anything he can do besides continue to defend himself? The lawyers’ costs have become a nightmare for our whole family. There must be something more we can do besides waiting for her next dramatic step. – Worried Family Members

Dear Worried: Your son may need to go on the offensive. What his ex-wife is doing is harassment, and he should ask his lawyer about suing her. He also can search for a divorce support group in his area or online and get into low-cost therapy for his own well-being. He needs to get his life back.

Dear Annie: To “Frustrated Daughter-in-Law,” whose mother-in-law doesn’t get out and do things, has it ever occurred to her to ask her mother-in-law to go with her to these places?

I am a widow, and after a lifetime of having someone with you, it is hard to do things by yourself. I prefer having someone I know go with me, but no one wants to be bothered taking me anywhere, so I sit at home. If she would take her mother-in-law to these places, Mom could see how much fun it could be, perhaps make a friend and then take it from there on her own. – Fort Myers, Fla.

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