I am homeless since my child's father died!

Dear Pastor,

I hope you are fine. I am 46. I met a man some time ago and had a son by him. My son is now 11. When I met this man, he told me he didn't have any children. I was living in a rented house and he told me to give up the place and live with him so I wouldn't have to pay rent.

I later found out that this man had two children with two different women. I was living with him for the last six years. I got a call one day from my son, while coming from work, saying that his father had moved in one of his babymothers and child. I went home, took my things and left the same night. I went to stay with a relative until I got a place to rent.

Three days after I moved out, I got a call from my son's father, saying that he was in New York. A month later, he texted me saying I took his child from his house and it belongs to his children, and that his child's mother, whom he moved in did not have anywhere to go. Since then, I have not heard from him.

Before I found a place to rent, my son was sleeping on people's veranda. This woman that he took to the house was always making trouble with us. She stalks me. She even came to the house, took my clothes off the line and threw them into the gully.

In April, I was at work when a lady called to tell me that my son's father was at the house sick and people had to take him to the hospital. He died that day. This man told me he was in America. I did not know he was back in Jamaica. He wasn't sick before. I heard that he ate some food in the morning and started vomiting, fell and hit his head. The autopsy report said that he died from a heart attack.

This woman came to my workplace and told persons that this man threw me out of his house and I sent a 'blow' and killed him. She 'took a set' in my life and would not leave me alone.

His relatives came from America and buried him. They called me in a meeting and told me that his house, vehicle and all he had would be sold and the money shared between his three children. He was not married. They said that they would get a lawyer and let it go through the court.

will

Pastor, they told me that the woman at the house destroyed the man's will. She has held on to the title for the house and everything, saying that he signed over everything to her before he died. This man died suddenly after he turned 51. He was an accountant and he had a lot of things.

She has asked his relatives to allow her to live in the house because she has nowhere to go. This woman now lives in one section of the house and has rented out the other. I heard that she even sold the man's vehicle. I called the relatives and told them what she has done and they said that they have no idea about that and that she cannot do so.

I don't think it is fair. My son's father took care of his children. This woman came to live at the house, and in less than three months, the man died. She is now telling everybody that she is the common-law wife. Pastor, please help me. It is hard on me. Please tell me what rights my son has and where I can get help. I am looking forward to hear from you soon.

M.B.

Dear M.B.,

You need your own lawyer. You have to look after your interests. You were living with this man for six years. You cannot rely on what his relatives tell you. Evidently, this man lied to you, but you need to move fast. The moment he died, you should have started looking after the interests of your son and yourself. I know the first thing that people say when I tell them that they have to see a lawyer is that they don't have any money. However, clients should not be afraid of lawyers. He/she will work out a payment plan with clients, so please, madam, retain a lawyer.

Pastor