Olivia

Olivia was removed from her home at the age of two. Her mother Lindsay was a victim of domestic violence and her father Jeff was the abuser. On the day that Olivia was removed from the house, the police found both parents drunk and Olivia sitting alone in another room, crying from starvation, and with a dirty diaper. Like many other tragic unsafe situations, Olivia’s removal had to be swift to get her into a safe and stable environment.

Olivia, fortunately, was assigned a CASA who was there every step of the way to make sure that her best interests were kept at the forefront. Olivia’s CASA, Erin, gathered all the information she could about Olivia’s case for consideration. She knew she must advocate for what was best for Olivia, and she saw that her parents were not a suitable and safe placement for the young girl at the time. It was Erin’s job to determine what the best situation for Olivia would be.

Olivia’s mother Lindsay did not have a steady job, and did not understand the amount of money, time and attention that it takes to raise a child. Lindsay struggled with the domestic abuse she suffered at the hands of Jeff, but did not comprehend how much this abuse severely impacted Olivia’s life as well. If she wanted to regain custody of her daughter, Lindsay would have to stay away from Jeff in order to keep her daughter safe. But would she be able to? Would Olivia ever be able to return home to the mother who she loved?

Erin had a lot of questions about the case and she knew that she must get them all answered before she decided what would be best for Olivia.  Erin knew one thing for sure: Lindsay and Jeff had made terrible choices together and they needed to prove that they could be the safe parents that Olivia needed.  Erin wanted to see a commitment from Lindsay and Jeff, and she wanted them apart while they went through services and got back on their feet.  All Erin could do was to make sure that Olivia remained in a safe place while they waited to see if Lindsay and Jeff could make the right decisions.

A few months passed and Lindsay was given visitation rights with Olivia. Erin monitored these visitations to make sure that Olivia was always safe. She discovered Lindsay had allowed Jeff to join her for a visit with Olivia, a clear violation of the court’s ruling. Lindsay was not allowed further visitation until she could prove she was following all the requirements from the judge.

Lindsay and Jeff were both required to take domestic violence counseling and training and to keep their jobs. Lindsay had to show she was capable of staying away from Jeff and that she could have a clean and safe home for her daughter. Meanwhile, Erin continued to make sure Olivia’s foster home was safe and protective.

Unfortunately, after nearly a year had passed, Lindsay still had no job, no permanent place to live, and little hope that she could parent Olivia on her own. Jeff had not completed any of the domestic violence training or taken any of the important steps to clean up his own life Erin advocated to the judge for an adoptive home to be sought for Olivia. Lindsay knew she would never be able to be a good parent to Olivia and agreed to give up her parental rights.

Lindsay told Erin and the Department of Human Services (DHS) that her sister Becky, the parent of two other young girls, was living in a nearby town. Erin and DHS looked into the home and found it to be safe, supportive, and potentially a good fit for Olivia.

Today, Olivia is healthy, happy and on her way into kindergarten. She has been adopted by her aunt Becky and sees her mom only on holidays. Olivia even refers to her aunt as “mom”. Becky plays a huge role in Olivia’s life and continues to help Olivia thrive despite all that she missed out on during her first years. Erin is happy knowing that a great placement with family was possible for Olivia. She does not know what would have happened in Olivia’s life without her advocacy as a CASA, but Erin does know she played a big part in ensuring that Olivia is headed toward a bright future.