Help Keep Our Family Safe and Secure

I have not shared publicly with everyone about the situation that my children and I have been dealing with for the last few years. But as of this week it has become too much to bear.

3 years ago around this time I was physically assaulted, when I tried to get away the person doing all this jumped into the back of my moving car to prevent me from leaving. After putting up with too much verbal and emotional abuse I saw a different side of a person I thought I knew. Our marriage was over after years of counseling and dealing with his vices. We went to court for a domestic violence injunction which was dismissed due to no witnesses. A couple months later I had enough money to hire a lawyer and officially file for divorce. We shared custody of the kids through the process of trying to get divorced, went through mediation, and every time I thought it would be over, he backed out of the agreements.

A year after filing for divorce I got the kids back from him after a long weekend. That’s when a new nightmare began. Eliza had signs of abuse, Samuel was brave enough to gradually speak about the secrets taking place. I contacted authorities and the children remained with me. A few months later we had a hearing. A no-access order was issued between him and the children as well as him having to cooperate with evaluations to determine their safety. I can’t share every detail as a lot of it is confidential. But it was determined they were not safe in his presence and recommended for him to have further evaluations. We kept in contact with police investigators and I kept the children in therapy where they had made numerous disturbing statements about what that monster had done to them. DCF was brought back into the picture and eventually a warrant for his arrest was issued. After just one night in jail he was released on bond. After meeting with the state attorney office they felt like the children were not able to withstand testifying due to age and time elapsed. The charges were dropped. I was crushed and terrified. This last week we had another hearing. The children still remain in my custody and no access is still in place. A guardian ad litem is being brought in.

The children have healed so much and made incredible strides in moving forward. I am amazed by their resilience and strength.

———update———

I got an email from my attorney. Calling for the past due balance as well as an additional retainer for an imminent trial. As well as my responsibility to pay for half of the GAL. All of that totaled $15,500. Generous contributions from friends and family and savings that I had I was able to pay what I could but it was not enough and my lawyer filed a motion to withdraw representation. I feel defeated and lost but know this isn’t over. This now leaves my children and I vulnerable.

I reached out to a few attorneys but unfortunately they informed me that since there is still a balance with my former attorney that nobody will take us on until that is resolved and to obtain new representation will require a retainer as well. There’s still the matter of the guardian ad litem’s retainer. It feels like starting at square one. But fighting for the safety of my children is worth it.

I am so grateful for everyone who has supported and helped us so far on this journey and I know that this isn’t over yet! God will see us through.

I'm coming to my community to reach out and ask you to please share our story. I cannot do this alone and every little bit helps.

Love,

Rachel- Samuel- Eliza