My name is Keisha and I have a 12-year-old, almost 13-year-old daughter. 

Optional donation method $KeshaKorsmo 

I have had my daughter 100% since 5/5/25 because she refuses to go with her dad out of fear. After the ridiculous (expensive) 2-year divorce ended on January 15th, my daughter's mental health took a deep dive. The placement schedule was 60/40 and looked like M-Th 2 hours after school with me, and every other Friday and Saturday overnight with me and daytime during the summer. I didn’t have her on any school nights. Her grades started falling and I expressed my concern with her dad, who ignored the obvious sign of trauma. Around the end of March, my daughter told me and her dad that she was depressed. She communicated to me that she was thinking about cutting. She has a therapist, but he didn’t report anything. My daughter does not trust him because he tells dad everything. She lost trust so the sessions weren't helping. One Sunday when she was with me in the morning, I noticed multiple cuts on her forearm. She lied about why they were there. I knew what happened. She only cut at night at her dad’s, 7-8 times on different occasions, even with Grandma sleeping next to her. I wouldn’t have broken the court-ordered placement if my daughter wasn’t cutting and having suicidal ideation along with her refusing to return to his house. We are back in court and my attorney is asking for an additional $1500 for the next court appearance on July 10, 2025, due by June 30th.

Some Details:

One of her friends' parents contacted me and shared texts that my daughter was sending in a group and an individual chat. The messages she sent to her friends expressed her depression, her desire to cut, and suicidal ideation. Once this was brought to my attention, I contacted her doctors and various professionals to get her immediate help. I took her to the major Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee and she met with a social worker, alone. We were referred to Rogers Behavioral Health Outpatient Treatment. So instead of school, she is now in group sessions all day. At the ER, the social worker called CPS and reported child abuse that I was unaware of. I only saw her 8 hours per week and every other half weekend. My daughter started refusing to leave my house for exchange.

Now her dad is saying that I “brainwashed” her into cutting at HIS house and refusing to go with him during his 60% placement time. Every day she goes to the exchange location, tells him no, and then comes back home with me. I do not leave the car; she gets out and is making the decisions herself. Also, police have been involved and they listen to her. She’s just a year too young for the courts to recognize her decision but they are taking it into account.

It has gone to a post-judgment hearing with the first hearing held on 6/9/25 and the next one on 7/10/25. A GAL will be assigned and now my attorney needs $1500 by 6/30/25 so I will have representation. The amount of money this is costing is unnecessary, I don’t want to keep asking but what's happening with her mental health is dire. I’m disabled and on a fixed income minus child support I pay to dad. Money is extremely tight because he won't give her, her clothes, belongings, or medications, so I’ve had to pay out of pocket while paying child support. In this type of hearing, witnesses aren’t allowed unless they have direct involvement. I need my attorney so I can continue helping my daughter and keeping her safe from self-harm or worse.

Please share and if you can help out with any amount, it would be appreciated!

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Optional donation $KeshaKorsmo