Georgia Family Law Question: 16-year-old Told He Can't Return Home After Summer Visit In Connecticut

(will be crossposted in a few other reddit communities)

Location: Georgia/Connecticut

I'm hoping someone familiar with Georgia family law or child welfare can point me in the right direction.

My 16-year-old son is currently visiting me in Connecticut for the summer. He has lived in Georgia with his father for the past seven years and is considered a Georgia resident.

Over the last couple of weeks before he left and multiple times since he's been visiting me, his father has repeatedly told him not to come back home. He's sent texts saying my son isn't welcome back and has also sent pictures and videos of my son's room being dismantled. There have also been late-night calls where his father appeared to be intoxicated.

My son is entering his junior year of high school. He wants to return to Georgia, finish high school, stay with his friends, and then go to college. He does not want to start over in Connecticut. I am willing and able to have him live with me if necessary, but that isn't what he wants.

I'm trying to figure out what the appropriate next step is before his scheduled return at the end of July. I attempted to contact the local Georgia DFCS office for guidance, but I wasn't able to reach anyone.

My questions are:

Can a parent in Georgia legally refuse to allow their 16-year-old child to return home under these circumstances?

Should I be contacting Georgia DFCS now, or do I wait until closer to his return date?

If DFCS isn't the appropriate agency, who should I be speaking with?

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation in Georgia?

I'm not looking to start a custody battle. I'm trying to respect my son's wishes to return and finish high school, while making sure he has a safe and stable place to return to. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.