Voices of Hope | Emma & James
Most children spend their days chasing bubbles, splashing in puddles, and asking endless 'why' questions. Childhood should be full of wonder—not fear. But not every child gets that chance.
The afternoon the report came in, the team at our Children's Advocacy Center knew there was no time to waste. Two young siblings, Emma and her brother James, were in danger. By the next morning, arrangements had been made to bring the children to our center.
When Emma and James arrived at the Children's Advocacy Center, our staff was ready. The building had been carefully designed to feel nothing like a police station or courtroom. Instead, it felt warm and welcoming. The multi-disciplinary team gathered in a separate observation room, watching through a discreet camera system to ensure the children could speak freely without being overwhelmed.
Emma went first. Still small enough to need help reaching doorknobs, she walked into the interview room with wide eyes and a quiet demeanor, her dirty-blonde hair falling forward, keeping most of her face hidden. Emma asked if she was in trouble. It wasn't long before our staff's gentle reassurance put her at ease. Then it was James's turn. He fidgeted with his shoes, his thin frame restless in the chair. James spoke with a clear voice, pausing before every answer. When his interview concluded, he asked if they could go home.
What the children revealed that morning changed everything. Emma and James each disclosed the sexual abuse they had endured at the hands of their parents. As soon as the interviews concluded, Child Protective Services moved into action. That afternoon, caseworkers had arrived at the house with law enforcement. Emma stood at the top of the wooden porch with its two broken steps, clutching a worn, unrecognizable stuffed animal, unable to move as James was guided into the first car.
The road ahead wasn't simple. James struggled with intense behavioral challenges stemming from his trauma. These behaviors could put Emma at risk. Because of this risk, the foster care system decided to keep the siblings separated. Emma went to a foster home. James to another.
For James, healing meant intensive therapy: hours of work to process trauma no child should know, to learn coping skills his young mind had never been taught, and to understand what healthy relationships and boundaries looked like. His foster mother stood by him through every difficult day, every setback, every small victory. All the while, Emma was healing too, learning in her own foster home what it meant to feel safe and cared for. Still, she asked for her mother and wanted to know where her brother was.
Behind the scenes, the multi-disciplinary team never stopped working. Law enforcement continued their investigation, gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. The case moved to the prosecutor's office, where decisions about criminal charges against the parents took shape. Simultaneously, the family court system deliberated on the question of parental rights, a process that would unfold over many months.
Those months went by quickly for the adults working diligently for Emma and James, but for the children, the days were long and often lonely. They missed one another and the familiarity of home. James's foster mother was determined that the two siblings would be reunited and worked closely with the system to make it happen. She wanted to prove she could provide structure and safety for both James and Emma. She began to prepare her heart and home for both children.
More than a year after that morning at the Children's Advocacy Center, the impossible became possible. Emma and James were brought back together, this time in a home filled with warmth, a backyard with green grass, a room with new bed sheets, fresh clothes, and a kitchen stocked with food and even some treats. They could have been anywhere, as long as they were together—but for the first time, they had both each other and safety.
Emma and James have now been adopted. Their early years were marked by unimaginable hardship, but their story did not end there. Because our CAN Council staff and multi-disciplinary team acted swiftly, these children were removed from danger and placed on a path toward healing. Because one foster mother persevered and advocated for their well-being, two siblings got to stay together. And because of people like you, who support our work, Emma and James now have a future full of promise instead of fear.