How do I find out more about a fathers rights

by Concerned Girlfriend
(Alabama)

My boyfriends ex (never married) recently informed him that she has maxed out all her credit cards and needs more money from him or he won't see their child. Can she do this? They haven't set up any kind of custody or visitation orders. We were wanting to get married but she said if we do then she will make sure she gets more money. She constantly gets on social networking sites and trashes him. Isn't that slander. So, I guess my question is can she keep their child from him because he doesn't pay her the amount of money that she wants, hes unemployed at this time, just to cover her bad debt?