North Carolina child custody laws, grandparents' right to child custody

Grandparent gaining custody.: I am a grandmother. My daughter is divorcing the father of my only grandchild. Her new boyfrined refuses to allow us to talk about the father and refuses to allow us to let him visit. I am the primary caregiver and have been for 1 and 1 half years. My daughter gives no support and rarely takes the child for visits. She threatened to take him away on several occasions if we allow visits with the father. The father wishes the child to stay with us but probably can't get custody becasue he left her at the time that we took over care of the child. If we file for custody and lose she will never allow us to see the child. I need to know how we can keep her from taking the child short of filing for custody. Is there a way to keep her from taking the chiid from us. The father signed a statement that he wishes the child to stay in our home. She will fight us and cost us alot of money that would be better used for the child. Help me please. - Is this your question? Add additional information