Separation

Location: Texas

My sister is married to a manipulative narcissist and they have a 4 month old together. They’ve been married for 5 years now and have had issues since before marriage. They should’ve never gotten married but now there’s an innocent child involved. They live together but are constantly fighting and for some reason (he’s probably threatening her) my sister will not leave. He recently told me he will take the baby since he owns the house and “she has nothing” and that he’s already been in contact with a lawyer. He saves all her text messages and intentionally gives short answers to make her look like the bad guy. I’m not saying she’s 100% innocent but he has always been a complete emotionally abusive jerk.

She lived with us almost her entire pregnancy (7 months?) bc they didn’t have a house together. He purchased a home during pregnancy and it wasn’t finished with the remodel until baby was about a couple months old. My sister and my neice were with us that entire time.

The best option IMO would be for her and baby to move back in with us until we can think about the next steps to help her out of this relationship. She will probably refuse but it’s an extremely toxic environment and I don’t want my neice around that.

There’s so much more I can say but ultimately I’m really worried about my sister not getting to see her baby every day and what is going to happen to her. I know he’s going to bring all his receipts and make her look like a maniac.

If she were to come live with us, what would be the next steps? Hire a lawyer (my sister doesn’t have a job + her husband doesn’t give her any money) but what would be his rights as far as coming to see the baby? Mind you I don’t think he’s ever even changed the baby’s diaper. After my sister delivered the baby he stayed the night the first night after her traumatizing c section and the baby having to be in the nicu for several days. And then that was it, he went back to his mom’s house and rarely visited his child or his wife but he thinks he can have full custody.

Thanks for any advice.