Democracy Dies in Darkness

Carolyn Hax: Son’s secret child is revealed, and his wife blames all who knew

There’s backstory to family’s apparent silence and the son takes full responsibility, but daughter-in-law isn’t hearing it.

(Illustration by Nick Galifianakis for The Washington Post)
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Adapted from an online discussion.

Dear Carolyn: I need help with a really messy situation. My adult son has been contacted by a teenage child who we now know, via DNA testing, is his from a relationship that ended prior to his knowing about any pregnancy. But a couple of months after this past relationship ended, his then ex-girlfriend contacted him and told him she was pregnant. He was devastated because the relationship had been serious and long-term but become very toxic and he was just so relieved to be out of it. He was in the military (still is) and tried to convince her to terminate the pregnancy, but that was not what she wanted.