Hmrc Child maintenance money removed

[Najjar1]

Hello
I really need some help please if anyone is out there that can find any legal way to help me and my daughter that would be much appreciated.
I opened an account when my daughter was born and directed her child benefit money into that account since I first received it. I couldn’t afford to save for her future at the time and worked 2 jobs to keep a roof over our heads and food in the fridge. Her father left me when she was 1 years old and I’ve had little to no contact with him and she hasn’t either. He knows where I live and I haven’t been obstructive he just wasn’t ready to be a family. Anyway moving on. 14 years later the money amassed to £15k. I didn’t realise when I took the account out that money could be taken out by either one of us I was under the understanding that we both had to sign. This year he removed all the child benefit money £15k and left the account empty. I was horrified. I asked him why he did it and he said he completely ignored me. I made contact with his mother in the hope she could convince him of a moral ground that this was for our daughter not us and he said he told her he borrowed it. I don’t know what to do and I was banking on the money to assist her on her journey through life. Money that I chose not to use for her upbringing so that she could get a lump sum to help her when she needed it. If anyone could help advise what I could do I would be forever grateful

[PallasAthena]

In the thread title you refer to 'child maintenance money' but in your post to 'child benefit money'. Which is it? State Child Benefit payments or maintenance paid by your child's father?

[Najjar1]

Apologies for not making it clear. So the money that was paid into the account that was taken was directly paid into there by hmrc in relation to child benefit for my daughter. Can’t see a way to edit the title.