Support Chad's Fight for Leela's Well-being

Hey guys, as some of you know, the reason that I left Omega is for my daughter, Leela.

I hired a Legal Technician to help explain and walk me through some of the paperwork I need to fill out so that the court will know that Megan has been withholding my daughter from me off and on her whole life. Some years I spend almost every weekend with her, some years less. It all depends on her mother's emotional state. But this last winter, I only got to see her about five weekends. I just try to walk on eggshells so I don’t ever upset Megan to where she will withhold her from me, but it doesn’t help. Everything is completely out of my control.

My daughter's mother, Megan, has had Child Protective Services called on her twice. Once because my daughter refused to go home with her after school, so the teacher called Child Protective Services because she felt like that was not normal for a child to be afraid to go home with their parents. Another time, her brother and sister-in-law called Child Protective Services because she broke down into a hysterical fit of anger and was unable to care for Leela and left her on the street. Before they called Child Protective Services on her, they tried to have an intervention with her, but she refused to let them speak to her with Leela out of the room. She used my daughter as a shield to not face the fact that she has psychological issues.

I just want to be there for my daughter. I want her to feel loved, and safe but right now, her mother has all the control. My daughter used to be able to call me anytime she wanted. She would just pick up her mother's phone and say, 'Call Chad,' and it would call me. But one day, my daughter called me and was crying and said that her mother told her that she hated her and wished she was never born. I felt so hopeless. There was nothing I could do. Not only was there nothing I could do, but Megan refused to let me talk to or see Leela for almost 2 months after that. I have countless stories of unhealthy behavior. I really want this to stop.

Leela has cried and begged me not to have to live with her mom, but it’s a really messed up world where I have to have money and a lawyer to really make this happen. If not for me to get custody of my daughter, at least where I can have her for a few months out of the year so she can get a break from her mother's chaos. I don’t like asking this, but I don’t know any other way I can get the money to hire a lawyer. I need at least $6000 for a retainer and I would greatly appreciate any help and support. I’m very vulnerable not having a lawyer and getting another opportunity to go to court is not easy. And Megan now has a lawyer.

Thank you guys so much and I’m sorry for such a heavy story. I don’t talk about this much but it is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life.