A story from a Colorado Legal Services client
The names in the following story were altered to protect Colorado Legal Services’ client and her niece’s privacy.
Angela, who lives in northern Colorado, was shocked and worried when, in 2022, she learned that her young niece could be in danger.
Her niece, Lilly, was living with her parents—Angela’s brother and his girlfriend—in Tennessee. Both parents had challenges with substance abuse.
Angela, who has long acted as a caretaker and who raised children of her own, quickly reached out to her brother and asked if Lilly could visit Colorado for the summer.
Thankfully, her brother agreed.
When Angela flew to Tennessee to pick Lilly up, she found a 3-year-old with too-tight clothes, two stuffies, one extra outfit, and a tattered backpack.
“I got really emotional,” Angela recalled.
She decided to make the most of their time together.
“We had a great summer,” Angela said. “We went to the art museum, the aquarium, the science museum, Estes Park—and neither parent contacted me.”
When she started reaching out to Lilly’s mom about extending her stay, Lilly’s mom started sending threatening messages to Angela’s adult daughter. But Angela still couldn’t get ahold of her when she tried to call.
“I started getting the gut feeling that we shouldn’t send her back,” Angela said.
She soon learned that Lilly’s mom had a warrant out for her arrest on drug-related charges, and Angela’s brother had been arrested and was in jail. It felt too dangerous to let Lilly return.
As she began investigating how to keep Lilly with her, she was referred to Colorado Legal Services. Joan Woodbury, managing attorney of the CLS Fort Collins office, helped Angela gain custody of Lilly.
“What a wonderful advocate for children—everyone was so kind, so helpful,” Angela said. “If it wasn’t for Joan and her team, I believe Lilly’s fate would have been filled with violence.”
Now Lilly is in the first grade and reading at a 5th grade level. She goes to therapy, she recently won an art contest, and she takes good care of her pets.
“Now she can be her true little self,” Angela said. “She’s a brilliant artist and a very caring human being. She has empathy for everyone.”
Angela said not only does Lilly have a new life, but she also gave Angela renewed purpose in caring for her. Together, they have the chance to thrive.
Now she can be her true little self. She’s a brilliant artist and a very caring human being. She has empathy for everyone.
If it wasn’t for Joan and her team, I believe Lilly’s fate would have been filled with violence.