Help Me Protect My Daughter – A Father’s Urgent Legal Fight

My name is Luke Brown, and I am the father of a beautiful 10-year-old girl who is fighting to be heard. I’m creating this GoFundMe because I am currently in a deeply painful and urgent custody battle to protect her from harm that has clearly affected her mental and emotional well-being. We currently share 50/50 parenting time, and I am fighting for full custody and legal decision making.

My daughter has expressed clear and repeated concerns about how she is being treated while she's not in my care. She has expressed deep emotional distress, even saying she doesn’t want to be alive anymore. I have every reason to believe that she has suffered emotional harm for years. I’m doing everything in my power to listen to her, protect her, and make sure the truth comes to light. I also currently have her getting professional therapy to assist with the seriousness of the situation.

Unfortunately, Arizona laws make it extremely challenging to help children in situations of severe emotional, mental, and psychological abuse.

Recently, the court ordered a Comprehensive Family Evaluation, which is vital to this case to get to the root of what's going on, giving my daughter a voice and a legal advocate. But the cost of this evaluation is staggering — I’ve been ordered to pay $10,000 up front, with total costs expected to exceed $20,000–$25,000. On top of that, I am responsible for my own attorney fees (currently unpaid fees over $5,000) and the fees for the best interest attorney appointed by the court to represent my daughter.

I need your help to raise $50,000 to $60,000 to:

1. Pay the upfront $10,000 for the family evaluation (due ASAP)

2. Continue paying my attorney fees to fight for full legal decision-making and custody (current balance $5,000; projected $5,000–$10,000/month)

3. Cover the legal fees for my daughter’s court-appointed attorney.

4. Cover the remaining evaluation costs expected to rise daily until September 30, 2025.

This is not just about a custody dispute. It’s about saving a little girl’s sense of safety, stability, and truth, and even potentially her life. I believe that children deserve to be listened to — and my daughter’s voice matters. But in family court, uncovering the truth often comes with a high financial cost, and I’m doing everything I can to fight for her life and future.

Please help us reach this goal for her sake. Every donation, large or small, makes a difference. If you can't donate, please share our story. Time is short, and I need to raise at least $20,000 immediately to keep the legal process moving forward.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

—Luke Brown

Notice: Out of respect for the privacy of all parties involved, I have omitted names and identifying details. This fundraiser is about meeting court-ordered legal and evaluation expenses in my effort to ensure the best outcome for my daughter’s safety and well-being.