Justice For G!

After a long 3 months of fighting for a loved little girl, the battle continues. For those close to her, you know the story. For privacy & protection the details are going to remain confidential.

Defacto Parenting is a thing many people don't want to talk about it. Lots of people haven't even heard of it. But with family structures changing, it should be more widely addressed.

The process is difficult & .. expensive. The term "defacto parent" is one that I've only recently heard of. In the eyes of the law, it is a person that has fully and completely taken a permanent , unequivocal and responsible role in a child's life. Someone who has bonded with the child & anyone who knows us, knows that we have a beautiful and unique bond.

There are a few reasons why someone would want to claim defacto parent status in a child's life. In this case, I have embarked on this life changing journey to protect my daughter and continue to be a part of raising her and watching her grow. A 6 year old little girl I have raised, loved and protected as my own since she was 14 months old. A child that has been embraced by an entire extended family and is loved by so many more. These people have currently been completely exiled out of her life. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, best friends, friends, teachers, her two year old cousin. Her mother.

She has been taken from everything she's ever known. Those who love her, her school, her home and her friends. She has been kept from her dance recital and classes, gymnastics, chorus concerts, summer camps, a happy loved life. All things a child should experience.

Unfortunately she is feeling abandoned, confused, sad and angry that the people who love her and she loves immensely were never able to say goodbye. She was never given any sort of explanation as to why she was picked up from school one day and not allowed to return to her house, her bedroom, her activities or her family and friends.

Any chance she has of returning to any part of this life, with those who love her, and those she misses is for me to be granted a defacto parent status: court procedures to show that while I may not be biological, I am one of her two mothers. This process has proven to be more difficult than I could have ever imagined. The last time this little girl saw any piece of her life before she was very selfishly and unnecessarily ripped away from it was April 4th, 2017. I immediately started fighting. I thought to myself" it isn't going to be hard to show the love and life I've given my daughter for the last 5 years." Especially since the person who brought her into my life at 14 months old  has never once had a problem with me raising her even at times when we didn't live together. He actually encouraged it and acknowledged me as her mother. He even made me a card on my birthday, March 21, 2017 that read "happy birthday to the worlds greatest mom."

I am not trying to deny or take away any rights from her biological parents. I want to ensure relationships with both parents, which is something that hasn't been done in the past. There can never be too many people in a child's life that love them.

In the eyes of the court, we are another family, more names that come across a judges desk. And because I am not biological the process takes so much longer and becomes that much more of a fight. I am asking for help for this loved little girl that an entire community of people want to see returned to the life she has been so happy in and so so so loved in. The court costs have become outrageous. Hiring a lawyer is never cheap. And most importantly, keeping her home to come back to on a single income has been difficult. We have hope that what is best for this child will happen. This fight is very possible to win with prayers, good thoughts and a little bit of help.

I thank you in advance & appreciate immensely any of the above you can give.

Stephanie