When the parents of children are not in a relationship with one another, it is often for the best. However, that doesn’t mean that the children don’t need both parents in some capacity. For many families, it may mean that one parent will make child support payments to the other parent to provide care for the children. If a parent fails to make those payments, it can have a detrimental effect on the child’s life. Recently, one Texas county decided to crack down on parents who haven’t been paying their court-ordered child support, and the efforts led to several arrests.
The operation involved law enforcement at both the state and local level, according to the Texas Attorney General. Thirteen different teams covered the entire county on a recent early morning. Officials hoped that the early hours would catch people before they left their home. With warrants in hand, they arrested 34 people for nonpayment of child support.
There is no word on how much money those arrested collectively owed, but similar operations have involved several thousand dollars in unpaid child support. The Attorney General praised the officials involved, saying that child care is a moral responsibility for parents. He hopes that this operation will positively impact the lives of the children long term.
Some parents are unable to pay child support because of a change in their financial circumstances. Others do not pay because of resentment for the other parent. No matter the reason, children still have needs and deserve the best care possible. Those who are struggling to make or receive court-ordered child support here in Texas may want to consult an attorney to determine what legal measures are available to ensure that children are given the financial support needed.