Help Angeleena Get Life-Saving ABA Therapy

Help Angeleena Come Home: Support for Life-Saving ABA Therapy & Safety Equipment

Angeleena O'Connor is a vibrant, loving 17-year-old girl who has endured more than most of us could ever imagine. After years of unanswered questions, Angeleena was recently diagnosed with Glucose Transporter Type I Deficiency Syndrome (GLUT-1 DS)—a rare genetic brain condition that prevents her brain from receiving enough glucose to function properly. This condition affects her energy, her development, and her ability to manage emotions and behaviors.

As if that weren’t enough, Angeleena is also diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Disability, and a long list of complex mental health challenges that severely impact her daily life. The combination of her medical and neurological diagnoses makes her especially vulnerable to emotional dysregulation, aggression, and difficulty tolerating limits—all of which are common for children with her profile, but misunderstood by systems meant to protect her.

Why We Need Help

Angeleena has been institutionalized, jailed, and hospitalized repeatedly—not because she is a criminal, but because our systems are not equipped to support children like her. She has been pepper-sprayed by untrained officers during escalated episodes, and spent over 10 days in jail on multiple occasions, not in a therapeutic setting, but in confinement.

Angeleena does not belong in jail. She belongs at home, with her mother—Melody O'Connor, who adopted her at a young age and has never given up on her.

But to bring her home safely, Angeleena needs intensive in-home ABA therapy—up to 40 hours per week—paired with protective safety equipment and specialized training for her mother to safely manage aggressive or self-injurious behaviors.

Unfortunately, the courts will not approve her release until:

A comprehensive ABA therapy plan is in place

Medical and protective equipment is available to ensure safety in the home

Melody becomes certified in Professional Crisis Management (PCM) to intervene safely during escalations

What the Funds Will Support

Your donation will help cover:

Medical-grade protective equipment (mats, helmets, safety padding, etc.)

ABA therapy supplies (visual supports, reinforcement tools, data collection systems)

In-home therapist safety materials to allow trained staff to support her effectively

Crisis intervention certification for her mother through a recognized PCM provider

Support with transportation, coordination, and reintegration efforts to bring Angeleena home

Angeleena Deserves Better

She is not a danger—she is a child in crisis with a rare brain disorder who has been failed by the system. She loves stuffed animals, jokes, being outside, and spending time with her mom. She is smart, affectionate, and incredibly resilient—but she needs help regulating her world.

We are asking for your help to give Angeleena a second chance—a chance to be home, safe, supported, and surrounded by love.

No child should grow up in jail or a facility simply because of their diagnosis.

Please donate, share, and advocate for Angeleena.

Together, we can bring her home.

#BringAngeleenaHome #SupportSpecialNeeds #GLUT1DS #AutismAwareness #ABAForAll