How do i get the ball rolling on getting Custody of my younger sister before she goes into Foster Care.?

[Becky]

My Younger sister is 14 and I'm 25. My mother is disabled and receives SSI. She got hit by a car when she was 6 and lost all her memory and now has the mentality of a 10-11 year old. However my mother thinks her disabilty is her nerves, she does not think anything else is wrong with her. My father passed away in 2007. Well my mom has been on her own with my sister since then and this is the second time in 6 years she has been investigated by CPS. The first time was for child abuse and they cleared her for it. Now she is being investigated for Neglect. The neighbor next door molested my sister, and the police referred CPS to investigate. My mother knew that the neighbor (a 52 year old man) had been trying to spend alot of time with my sister alone, and had kissed her on the lips, given her a ring to wear and told her to come see him when she was 18 because he had something to ask her. Well CPS filed a petition for a court date, and it is Next Wednesday February 5th, only 5 days from today. My father asked me to watch over them, and promised me i would help take care of them in anyway i could before he passed. Well they are in NY and i am in Texas. They had already planned on moving down here this summer because my mom doesn't drive ,and they have to beg people for rides all the time. They are just in an overall bad situation. I am almost certain that she is going to be taken from my mom Wednesday. She read me some things that CPS sent her (Like her responses to the Investigator) and she pretty much gave them an easy case. I talked to my sisters lawyer Friday (yesterday) and told her that if she was taken from my mom, that i wanted her. What am i facing? What obstacles will be ahead of me? What kind of time-frame am i looking at? I dont want her to be in foster care for more than a few hours if possible. I myself am a mother to a 5 year old boy. I have a steady job and my own place. What will i need to do? Any help will be appreciated. Thank you!!

[217]

Contact your sister's caseworker immediately and let her know that you want to provide "kinship care". If you don't know the caseworker's name, call CPS in whatever county your sister lives in. Don't let them put you off because you're in another state; your sister can be placed with you under the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.

If you get stonewalled, it's probably best to consult an attorney.

These people may also have some good advice:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyrights/