An Indiana man was a father figure to his partner's daughter for eight years and when they split he shared care. When contact was cut off he sought court-ordered visits, but an appeals court upheld the mother's refusal.

• Despite their 2023 separation, Fleschner initially continued sharing caregiving responsibilities and maintaining regular contact with the child.
• For a child, the person who takes on the responsibilities of a parent can become just as important as a biological parent.
• But when an unmarried couple splits, the emotional bonds built in the relationship don’t automatically translate into legally enforceable parental rights.