Former NFL Player Owes $268,000 in Child Support

Most people in Illinois know that divorce can be a positive solution for two people who have grown apart and no longer find themselves in love. However, divorce can be an ugly business if the two people involved cannot find common ground. In these cases the litigation process can be arduous, the split painful and financial strain extensive.

But as difficult as divorces under opposition can be on the married couple, they may be even more trying when children are involved. In addition to the added delicacy of explaining to a child that their parents aren’t going to be together anymore, the welfare of the child can become another complex facet of the divorce case. The outcome of a divorce case when a child is involved can even affect your life for years to come, in the form of custody rights and child support.

Consider the situation that former NFL player B.J. Askew and is family are facing. The former football player allegedly owes about $268,000 in unpaid child support payments. According to authorities, he has three children but hasn’t been paying child support for over a year. Askew was arrested on Jan. 7 and will face the charge in Detroit.

In addition to the financial blow that one suffers when failed child support payments catch up to them, the legal guardian of the child must suffer through lack of finances as well. Child support is not a punishment that is inflicted on one parent for divorcing; it is a form of assurance that the child will still be provided for.

Ultimately, everyone wants what is best for their children. It’s important that both parents agree to safeguard the future of their child, be it through legal custody or regular and full child support payments. In the event that you or a loved one is going through a divorce and a child is involved, it’s important to make sure that the child will be provided for.

Source: Quincy Herald-Whig, “B.J. Askew charged with failing to support kids,” Jan. 21, 2014