We need a HERO. Our daily prayers are to resolve this distressing custody battle for our most adorable son Tre. Never in a million years did I think this gut wrenching tragedy would occur. Your prayers and support can help our innocent child remain in his loving home.

HOW TRE BECAME OUR SON. ​Tre was an unplanned pregnancy for my sister. I love my sister, and it is deeply sad that she struggled to care for his needs in his first months after birth. We all tried to help her succeed in parenting. Unfortunately, she has been racked with addiction for years and remerged after his birth. She has since been in treatment. I was an experienced nanny and became a frequent caretaker on a regular basis for this perfect angel baby. ​When Tre was 3 months old my sister gave me temporary custody of him with our plans to adopt after Will and I married. I continue to pray she can recover from her serious challenges and have a great life of sobriety in all aspects. My nephew became my son and I have been dedicated to him with complete joy. I married a gentle and loving husband named Will. He has been a devoted and sensitive father and thoroughly delighted to parent such a gleeful child. Tre has been growing ​up strong, healthy and happy for the past 21 months knowing me and​ ​​Will as his moma and da-daddy. Tre is a pleasure and a treasure and it is vitally important for his sake that we are able ​to retain custody of him.



Here is where the challenging TWIST OF FATE occurs. We moved in July 2015 to be closer to my husband’s family.​ In our efforts to pursue formal adoption we learned that the state Tre was born in may have ​jurisdiction over the​ ​matter and it is over 10 hours away. We ​also discovered ​legal complications that we could not ​initiate ​any formal adoption until we had ​established ​​"​residency​"​ in the state we ​now ​resided in. ​On top of that, we were s​hocked​ ​and devastated that there are others pursuing action to take over custody. We will leave them nameless for several reasons, but these relatives have ​​​​not been involved in Tre's life, are not his parents, and he does not know who they are. ​​No one has ever come forward to identify themselves as the father of the baby. He is at an age where he would be devastated to be separated from the parents he knows....and then be relocated to an unfamiliar surrounding with strangers - as would any child under the same circumstances!



The next thing we know there is a judge involved and WE ARE STUNNED. We discovered that the judge was not informed of all the facts. Important details appeared to fall ​​through the cracks of poorly documented and inaccurate information. ​ ​A key omission of fact was that we have been the consistent parental guardians of Tre for 15 months of his 18 month life at the time. ​ ​Since the other party filed legal action in court, it forces us to respond with a petition against it,​costing substantially more money than what we saved for the planned adoption fees. ​Thank goodness for generous donations from family members to help keep Tre where he is. ​Due to this legal matter across state lines, our fees have doubled with cases in two states.​ We are honest and sincere, but only in our 20's and early 30’s and not able to generate enough income to absorb such massive attorney fees. My heart is breaking on a daily basis.

THE SOLUTION: Our extended family​ members are committed to help our efforts the best they can. They encouraged us to create a donation account so they could continue to pitch in when possible and that we should reach out to the kindness of others who can also help to solve this travesty.



THE FUTURE WE DREAM OF: Tre​ is truly the light of our life and we could not imagine a world without his grand attention grabbing personality. We are seeking legal guardianship with the intention of having an open adoption and he will grow up without disruption and continue to thrive with abundant love and attentive care through. Everyone who knows us supports us. We are fully committed as his lifelong devoted parents. We have been with him through all of his life milestones. The highs and the lows. From​​ getting up at night to feed him, to treating ​his​ ​first bad​ ​​virus​,​ ​comforting him after​​ ​his vaccinations,​ ​​watching his first swim,​ ​​celebrating his first words and his first steps, and hearing him say "​I can do it" ​when going to the potty. ​He is our little man and our heart's contentment. ​We have invested everything​ ​we have in his happiness and we continue to enrich it with the best care any parent could bring. We are ready and able to care for all of his future milestones. Except for driving and dating that is scary stuff thankfully we have time to prepare for that!

​

HEROS: Would you kindly consider a donation to ​​help​​ ​our son​​ so that we can manage the daunting attorney fees.​ ​It would be horribly tragic for him to lose his parents. Unfortunately, we are obligated (not by choice)​to see this through the court process in his birth state. We truly wish there was another way. Your kind donation will be extremely significant to his future and I thank you to the ends of the earth and beyond.​ Please pray for Tre!​





With immense gratitude,






Arie Barnes