Ask Amy: Evicting a toxic tenant (without hurting her kids)

DEAR AMY: I have a major dilemma. I had to evict a toxic tenant. Police are involved, and it is all very ugly. This woman shares custody of three children, ages 11, 8 and 5. The 8-year-old is severely autistic.

Other tenants have stated that she leaves these children alone to go out and party. The 11-year-old is in charge of them. Last week, one of the tenants had to help this child take a box cutter away from the autistic child. The stories the problem tenant tells of her ex-husband are horrific, but then again, the stories she tells about me are horrific and untrue. Should I inform the ex-husband of these stories/

rumors? My family is split down the middle about what I should do. I feel if I ever heard of anything happening to these children, I would never forgive myself for not speaking up. But what if the one truth in this woman's life is that her ex is the devil? The police said they had never met a true sociopath until they met her. She made my life hell for three months, but she is their mother. What should I do?Worried Landlord

DEAR WORRIED: If the police have been involved, you would hope they'd take stock of this woman's criminal mothering and involve social workers. You should discuss this with your contact at the police department to see what, if anything, they have done for these children.

You should not contact the ex-husband, but you should contact your local department of child protective services. Their job is to assess what is happening in the home and to protect these children from both parents, if necessary.

They will contact the children's father and assess his ability to provide a home for them.

This is a terrible situation. I hope you will continue to try to advocate for these children. They deserve a better lot in life.