Sometimes things do work out if you wait a day or so. To clarify, the bike riding was not just for an hour a day, it generally lasted over an hour and it was several times a day which IMO was excessive. There are several country roads mere minutes away with little traffic, but instead the girl rode non stop where there are cars in the park. Wavering back and forth is dangerous, especially considering the tired feeling the kid was experiencing as the bike wobbled.
Anyway, to wrap this up, the father came yesterday with an older lady that might have been his mother. The kid left with him, he loaded stuff in the van including the bike and from what a neighbor heard it looks as though the child will be living with dad now.