Princess came to us as a seven-month-old foster child who was malnourished and had never learned how to smile. She arrived exactly one month before the pandemic began, and she has been with us ever since, including through three failed reunifications with her biological family. For two years, Kenosha county has been working on the Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) process so we could adopt Princess, since we have parented her for all of her conscious life and are the only family she knows.

(For privacy, 'Princess' is a nom de guerre; we are not exposing her real name since she is a minor.)

She is deeply bonded with our family: she plays with our youngest son, who is thirteen, and worships her older sister, who just went to university. She’s close with our cats and the bulldog; one of her first full sentences was pointing at him and saying, “Him a baby!”

Now, suddenly, the county has cancelled TPR and is talking about yet another reunification. This reunification is concerning for a variety of reasons. We are alarmed that the county is not considering Princess's well-being or best interests. No one involved in her case—not the social worker, her GAL, or county representatives—will even discuss what is best for her. As the people who have raised Princess from a baby, we are deeply worried for her safety and future.

We recently met with a lawyer who specializes in adoption and foster cases, and who has even helped write some of the laws on TPR. She believes we have a strong case to keep Princess safe and at home, but her services require a significant retainer and ongoing fees. While we both work, we do not have the resources to cover these legal costs on our own. Any money raised will go directly toward protecting Princess and keeping her with her forever family.

Princess can be safe, fed, housed, and loved, but she needs your help. Please donate to get her the legal representation children don't have without adults rallying around them. Keep her safe with your donation!