Help Bring Ezra Home: Reunite a Mother and Son

My name is Melanie, and my 4-year-old-son and I need your help. After a nine-year abusive marriage, I was left while in a hospital bed asking for my son. At less than 1.5 years old, this began our first separation of 72 days that ended with the Colorado Courts reuniting Ezra and I, but not trying my ex-husband for child abduction —little did I know, the trauma was just beginning.

When I became severely ill with postpartum depression after giving birth to my son, Ezra, I was unable to eat, sleep, walk, or work. Instead of receiving support, I was met with abandonment and cruelty. My ex-husband and his family used this moment of vulnerability to drag me through the Colorado family court system, spreading lies, manipulating the process, and cutting me off from the finances I had earned over the past decade.

I fought as hard as I could to protect my son—but it cost me everything.

• I was denied spousal support

• I was forced to sell my home and give the proceeds to my ex’s family

• I was left with six-figure legal debt and maxed-out credit cards

• I was separated from my son after reporting my son’s disclosure of sexual abuse

In April 2024, Ezra—then just 3 years old—told me that his father was molesting him. I reported this to CPS. Ezra underwent two forensic interviews and bravely disclosed what had happened in the language of a 3-year-old. Instead of protection, the system retaliated against us, hiding the evidence and starting to remove my rights as a mother. I was removed from having therapeutic oversight over my own child by the Colorado court system despite being a mental health professional and the son’s biological mother. This is now in the hands of Guardian ad Litem who has created a false narrative that I made up everything and told Ezra to say these things. The judge would not listen to the truth. I was completely shut out: banned from speaking to my son’s own therapist, who I hired, denied access to my son’s forensic interviews and other court documents, and eventually accused of “coaching” Ezra to protect a man who also physically abused me for 9 years. There was a trial set for this case set for this the week of 4/21/24, but on 4/17/24, the court called a hearing last minute that I was notified of in a text message. I was not able to attend and was then notified in another text message that I was blamed for everything and was no longer allowed access to my son. I have no further information and they will not respond to me regarding getting my son back. The courts never published a hearing summary, and no one will speak with me. Please help me get Ezra back and away from his abuser.

This is a common tactic—based on the discredited “parental alienation” theory—has been used around the world to silence protective parents and shield abusers from their crimes. It was developed by a disgraced psychologist, Richard Gardner, who shockingly claimed that pedophilia was “natural.” Today, that same theory is still used to punish parents and children who report abuse, like Ezra and I. This Go Fund Me, is not just for Ezra, it is to start a movement for all those wrongly separate from their children.

I have been mostly a stay-at-home mom with Ezra for the past three years while being dragged through family courts non-stop since October 2022 asking for more money, taking my parenting time away and causing me constant fear of losing my child. Last summer I started working as a Psychiatric Technician at an addiction and mental health center. A few days a week, I work with wonderful people stepping out of a life of trauma into a new life of healing and prosperity. As a mental health professional and writer, this is my passion and my path. A few days a week, I am with Ezra teaching him to read, swim, hike, and explore our world as only toddlers can do. In addition, I write poetry about love, abuse, addiction, trauma, traveling, spiritualty and the beauty of self-honesty. There is a lot more to come with my writing, but first, Ezra has been missing for over a week. And countless other children are wrongly separated from their safe parents through parental alienation.

I now have no access to Ezra; the courts will not speak to me about getting my son back. Ezra remains in the custody of the man he reported molesting him and the courts have the evidence and can rule on the truth and return my son to me today, but I have heard nothing. I haven’t been allowed to tell him that I love him, that I believe him, or that I’m still fighting for him every single day. Please help Ezra.

I am starting this GoFundMe to raise funds for:

• Hiring a new attorney to fight return Ezra ASAP

• Paying off legal debts from the initial case

• Rebuilding my financial life to create a foundation for systemic change

Every donation—no matter how small—brings me one step closer to Ezra. Your support will not only help save Ezra from the man he reported and reunite him with his mother, but will also help launch a powerful movement for other protective parents who have been silenced.

Thank you for your love and support.

Sincerely,

Melanie Murray Noble

Follow my Story, Poetry & Writing:

Instagram: @Mellymelwrites

Substack: https://mellymelwrites.substack.com/

Facebook: Melanie Noble https://www.facebook.com/melanie.murray.14203/

• $330 pays for 1 hour of legal time

• $4500 secures full legal representation (does not count toward legal time)