While I was writing it occurred to me that I had forgotten one real-world aspect of an urban fantasy story. The inciting incident of this novel is the death of the main characters' only parent. Both of them are 17 though one will be 18 in a couple of months from when this happens. They also have no relatives close enough to become their guardian.
I'm basing this in the US, probably in the south. So what exactly are the laws on guardianship for these characters?
Would they need to become wards of the state for a few months?
Would they be allowed to remain in their family home?
Would the parents of a friend of theirs be able to become their guardian for that brief period?
Even if that is the case, how long would they have to convince this friend's parents to do this?
Would they be swept up by child services immediately?
I am debating whether or not I want to use this as a point of drama in the story or simply make the elder child 18 now.
I'm basing this in the US, probably in the south. So what exactly are the laws on guardianship for these characters?
Would they need to become wards of the state for a few months?
Would they be allowed to remain in their family home?
Would the parents of a friend of theirs be able to become their guardian for that brief period?
Even if that is the case, how long would they have to convince this friend's parents to do this?
Would they be swept up by child services immediately?
I am debating whether or not I want to use this as a point of drama in the story or simply make the elder child 18 now.