No child should spend 14 months in isolation.

Yet that is exactly what has happened to a teenager in Alabama.

She* is the young person whose story I shared in my article, “When Children Are Treated as Adults: How One Alabama Teen Inspired My Fight for Justice.”

She has spent more than a year isolated in an adult jail — not because she committed an act of violence, but because she was present when someone else did. Under Alabama’s transfer laws, that was enough to charge her as an adult, place her in an adult facility, and set a bond her family cannot afford.

We are raising $25,000 to remove her from isolation and secure the legal representation she needs.

How the funds will be used:

Despite everything, she is working to continue her education. But isolation is no place for a child to learn, heal, or grow. She needs human connection in a safe, supportive environment — one that recognizes her as the child she is.

This fundraiser is not about excusing harm. It is about proportional justice, due process, and protecting children from systems that punish vulnerability rather than address it.

If her story moved you, please consider donating if you are able — and please share this page with others. Every contribution and every share brings her closer to freedom, a fair defense, and a future.

Thank you for standing with her.

* I have chosen not to share the teenager’s name to protect her privacy and future. If you would like to learn more about her case, please feel free to contact me directly.