I have a 3-year-old daughter. When she was about 1 year old, while I was away for work in construction, her mother signed away her parental rights, custody, and guardianship to her sister. We were not married, and I have not been legally recognized as her father. I fought this in court for a year but couldn’t afford a lawyer, and I was pressured into dropping the case when they hired one. It’s been a year since then, and I’ve taken all necessary steps to ensure I am stable and capable of being a good father to my children.
I am currently in custody battles for my two other daughters, ages 2 and newborn. I believe I will gain custody of both, but my main concern is my 3-year-old daughter. After legitimization, since I did not sign those papers and am her biological and soon-to-be legal father, would that invalidate the papers? What steps do I need to take to regain custody of my daughter? It is important to note that the mother has cut off communication with me and has not allowed my daughter to know or see me since she gained custody, and has also kept the mother out of her life.