My daughter, Ramya, was thrown out of her rented room tonight. Her estranged husband had promised her rent money but didn't get it to her. The landlord came to her door at 9 pm and asked her for the rent. She explained that she didn't have it right now but was supposed to get some money in a couple of days and asked if he could apply her deposit to the rent. (She'd been planning to look for another room to rent in September anyway and had told him previously that she was going to give notice.) He told her that she would have to leave and that she should start packing. His niece came up to the doorway and he told her to go get some garbage bags so Ramya could pack. He also said that he was going to call the neighborhood watch in case she tried to hang around and cause trouble.

She packed up her car and left, calling me from a parking lot somewhere. I read her the portion of rental law that explains what is supposed to happen. (A written three day notice to come up with the rent or quit the premises, followed by a formal eviction/thirty days' notice if she does not, penalty being a hundred dollars a day for not following this.) She went back and tried to speak with him about why throwing her out on the street like that isn't legal. He kept saying, "I don't know what you're talking about" as if he hadn't thrown her out on the street.

He and his wife are renting to two tenants at a time and making them pay in cash. He's obviously avoiding paying taxes on this income. She was originally supposed to pay 575.00, then when she agreed to move in they informed her they'd charge 700.00 because she had the boys with her. I think he's counting on the fact that she has no receipts except her initial one. But she's been receiving mail there and neighbors all saw them every day.

I called their voice mail, detailed the law for them and informed them that we'd be seeing them in court. I kept emphasizing, "You violated my daughter's legal rights and she is out on the street!"

I can't sleep I'm so angry. My head is pounding. She is so far away and I am powerless to do anything for her at the moment. I was trying to reach my friend who has family down there and couldn't get through. I made her promise to call me if anything at all happens.

This jerk is going to be so sorry he did this. If he'd given her time we would have come up with the money somehow. He didn't have to do it this way.

I begged her to come and stay with me but she wants to make it on her own as far as possible.

This is breaking my heart.