His mother was brought in and signed a statement admitting to marijuana use in the home and serving alcohol to a minor (her daughter not my step son) and child protective services told us we had to take him away pending investigation. Well, so far not charges have not been filed and CPS has yet to file a petition to have him removed from his mother…it’s been a week? No one will tell me how long before he can go home. He’s 16 and 1/2 years old and an honor student with finals coming up. I live in a different school district and it VERY difficult to keep running him back and forth. I’m worried his grade will suffer if he doesn’t get back to his routine. His mother isn’t a danger to him and I feel CPS is way overreacting…she has agreed to drug counseling beginning Tuesday but so far there is no legal paperwork preventing him from going home but we don’t want to make things worse. Everyone is in agreement that he needs to be home but CPS told me if we try to let him go home they will place him in foster care. His father and I find this entire situation stupid and it’s only harming my step son. He needs to sleep in his own bed at night and prepare for exams..why will nobody give us answers? How long does it take for charges to be filed against his mother? Why hasn’t a petition been filed…? How can they prevent my step son from seeing his own mother. If he was a baby and she was stoned that’s one thing but he’s 18 months away from18, doesn’t smoke,drink, A+ student, excels in sports and this is messing him up..even the officer doesn’t think he should be pulled from the home! doesn’t anyone have advice? A lawyer won’t help because charges and petitions haven’t been filed and CPS won’t answer my questions about the future?