Help Us Stay Safe — A Mother’s Fight to Protect Her Daughters

We’ve escaped with nothing but our lives, and I’m still fighting every day to keep my daughters safe.

My name is Samantha, and I am the proud mother of two little girls who are my entire world.

• Payton (7) is incredibly resilient and creative. She lives with severe autism, ADHD, and significant speech and developmental delays, yet she shines with the brightest spirit and amazes me every single day with her strength.

• Quinley (2) is so strong and ready to take on the world. She is playful, talkative, and full of love — bringing joy, laughter, and light wherever she goes.

The Day Everything Changes

For over ten years, I live in a domestic-violence nightmare. I am beaten, choked, dragged by my hair, and called names meant to destroy me. I am isolated, controlled, and told that no one will ever believe me.

But what finally breaks me isn’t my pain — it’s seeing my daughters begin to suffer, too.

When my oldest — who has severe autism and developmental delays — is dragged by her hair, screamed at, and beaten with a paddle, I know I have to get us out. My youngest, just a baby, cries uncontrollably whenever he yells. Their laughter turns into fear.

One day, everything changes again. After years of fear and abuse, he looks me in the eyes and tells me he’s going to shoot me in the head and make me disappear if I don’t agree to his terms in our divorce. In that moment, I know that if I don’t leave, my children and I might not survive.

So I pack what little we can — a few clothes, diapers, and their favorite stuffed animals — and I flee across the country with my girls at the advisement of CPS. We leave everything behind: our home, our belongings, even their beds. We carry only hope, fear, and faith — and the desperate need to stay alive.

We make it to California, where family welcomes us home. My daughters finally sleep through the night without waking up screaming. They call our new home “Sanctuary,” because it’s the only place they truly feel safe.

⚖️ Now the System Is Failing Us

But our safety doesn’t last long. The judge in Texas, where the abuse occurred, refuses to look at any of my evidence — my affidavits, police reports, CPS calls, or protective-order filings — until I personally return to his courtroom with my children.

He says, on record, that he will not review my domestic-violence or protective filings until I hand my daughters back to their abuser.

If don’t comply, he threatens to issue a warrant for my arrest.

My mother and I drive 15 hours toward Texas to try to appeal to reason, only to find that the judge’s only concern is control — not our safety. My daughters cry the entire way, begging to go back to Sanctuary.

As a mother, I can’t do it. I can’t hand them over to the man who hurt them.

So we turn around and come home.

Our Lives Now

Back in California, we are safe — but we live in constant fear of what comes next.

We’re working with attorneys, filing for protective orders again, and documenting every law this judge is violating.

My oldest is finally being assessed for a specialized autism program at school. My youngest is starting early-learning care. They’re smiling again, but the nightmares and anxiety still haven’t gone away.

I’m doing everything I can to fight for them — legally, emotionally, and physically — but it’s breaking all of us.

How You Can Help

We urgently need support to stay safe, fight this case, and keep my girls protected.

Your donations will help cover:

• Legal fees to fight for full custody and protection in California

• Basic living expenses as we rebuild stability after fleeing abuse

• Therapy and medical care so both girls can heal from trauma

• Relocation and travel costs to stay safe during this legal battle

• Advocacy and awareness so our story can help other mothers facing the same nightmare

✨ Why I’m Sharing This

This month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

My daughters and I are living proof of what happens when the system fails to protect survivors — but we’re also proof of strength.

I’m sharing our story because I refuse to let silence protect abusers or broken systems. I will keep fighting — not just for Payton and Quinley, but for every mother who’s been told to stay quiet.

If you’ve ever looked into a child’s eyes and promised to keep them safe, you understand why I can’t stop fighting.

Please — donate, share, or make a TikTok to spread our story. Every bit of awareness, every dollar, every act of kindness helps keep us safe.

Thank you for standing beside us through this storm.

Your support means more than words can ever express.

— Samantha, Payton & Quinley