Hi, my name is Karma Nelson, and I’m a mother fighting to bring my daughters home—Layla, who will be turning 3 next month, and her sister Lucy who is just 4 months old. I have not seen them in almost two weeks. I’ve been their primary caregiver since birth, staying home full-time while pursuing my degree in pharmacy to build a better life for us. On April 30th, 2025 my entire world turned upside down and everything was taken from me all at once.

I was arrested due to a domestic violence incident involving their father, who had just returned two-weeks prior from his court order March-man act put in place by his parents after I pleaded to them I was scared for everyone’s life and safety including his own. The final straw for his parents to cooperate in seeking him help wasn’t the purchase of multiple guns including a semiautomatic shotgun that was fired in the house, or the ordering of drugs such as heroin off the dark web or even his absence from our second daughter’s birth because he was too high, it was Lucy’s first night home and I had caught him hotboxing our bedroom with heroin smoke only a few feet from where our baby and my mother laid sleeping in the other room.

The domestic dispute began when I found out he cheated on me while in his 30-day inpatient treatment. I have had no contact with him since and have only seen my children 3 times since my release through his parents. As soon as I was released, 20 days later, I have picked up 2 jobs and still manage school and plan to graduate after this semester and am seeking my own residence. DCF quickly dropped my case in seeing my efforts and recognizing my love and dedication for my kids, they told me to go get my kids but they were passed off to their father before I could get to them in time. I am in Jacksonville staying with my mother and my girls were residing at their grandparents (his parents) house in Sanford which is almost 2 hours from me.

Knowing I have a no-contact order due to my pending criminal case with the father my children are now being withheld from me. The paternal grandparents had this plan all along and they had filed to take temporary custody of my children prior to the closing of the DCF case after I told them I had no interest in that when they attempted to get me to sign trying to say it was for reasons relating to the girls health and important decision making, that they didn’t want the state to assign a random guardian ad litem to have that power. I let them know that I had been in contact with a supervisor, was doing all the right things, and had planned to get my kids back soon at any means necessary. The day after the case was closed with DCF I was served paperwork that stated I am a dangerous unfit drug addict and they want to take my kids from me, the father willingly signed to forfeit his rights.

The grandparents are now using my child’s father as a pawn, coercing him to sign all court motions in his name to deny me any sort of visitation or contact with my children, promising him residency and their second house without a job and letting him keep his brand new car they bought him. I have a court date set to review my rights on Thursday the 19th and have until June 26th to file a response to their motion to take custody or it is automatically forfeited to them, but I have no money for a lawyer. Legal aid with not assist me due to my pending criminal case as they only do civil matters.

I’m asking for help to hire a lawyer who can stand up for me and protect my girls from any further trauma. Anything you give will go directly toward legal fees and fighting for my children to come home where they belong—with their mother. Thank you from the bottom of my heart seriously anything would help.