I have seven low end rentals in a rural county. Last year I had to evict two middle income families because the WIFE got involved in drugs (meth I think) and ended up in jail. The houses were a wreck. I spent $15,000 on one and $10,000 on the other. The children in both cases were neglected despite a husband trying his best to take care of the kids and his wife’s habit. In these cases prison was the only chance for these families and the best possible path forward as the husbands were in denial and enabling the behavior to keep their marriages together.
One of these families I really felt sorry for the man as he tried so hard. But I have mortgages to pay and I had to get them out before the wife set the house on fire or overfilled a tub for eight hours. (That happened to another landlord I know.)
In both cases the kids were turned over to relatives who were, I gather, desperate to get the kids away from the situation.
The husband above told my helper, “I am really sorry, “Donna” is f@cking crazy.”
Thanks for your story. I wonder if there should be stricter drug laws for parents of minor children. One can argue that a childless person has the right to destroy his or her life, but parents have responsibilities.