My daughter’s world turned upside down when she became pregnant. The father wanted nothing to do with her or the baby, even urging her to get an abortion. Despite this, she bravely chose to continue her pregnancy and raise her child with the support of our family. After her daughter was born, she moved from Arizona to Nebraska so she could have the help she needed to care for her little one.

Everything changed when the father, who had never met his child, started court proceedings in Arizona. Because my daughter couldn’t afford to travel back for the hearing, the court awarded joint custody to the father. Now, the court order requires her to leave her 21-month-old daughter with a man she’s never met for 60 days at a time. This is heartbreaking for both of them. Her daughter is confused and upset, and my daughter is devastated to be separated from her child in this way.

Recently, my daughter had to return to Arizona for two weeks because of the court order. As a result, she lost her job and now has to come back to Nebraska without her child, facing the challenge of starting over and finding new work. We believe it’s important for the baby to have a relationship with her father, but it needs to happen gradually and safely. The current court order isn’t realistic for a cross-state situation and isn’t in the best interest of the child. We urgently need funds to hire a lawyer who can help us modify the parenting plan and fight for what’s best for this little girl. Any support you can give would mean the world to our family as we try to protect her well-being and keep her safe.