Heather reached out to Child Find of America for help locating her 5-year-old daughter, Ava. She had last seen Ava a week earlier, when she brought her to a local restaurant for a visit with her paternal grandmother, Josephine. During the visit, Ava’s father, Bradley, unexpectedly appeared and forcefully took Ava with him.
Heather was especially fearful because of her history with Bradley. Their relationship had been marked by violence, and Bradley had previously been incarcerated on felony-level domestic violence charges. Heather had been designated Ava’s residential parent by court order, and Bradley was permitted only supervised visitation. Although Heather had expressed concerns that Josephine might allow Bradley unauthorized access to Ava, the court had granted Josephine grandparent visitation.
The circumstances surrounding Ava’s disappearance appeared to confirm Heather’s fears that Josephine had been coordinating with her son.
Police intervened and arrested Bradley several days after he took Ava, but Ava had still not been returned to Heather. By the time Heather contacted Child Find, Bradley had been released from jail, leaving her increasingly worried about her daughter’s safety and whereabouts.
Adding to Heather’s concern was a previous allegation of sexual abuse involving another paternal family member. Two years earlier, Ava had disclosed abuse involving Bradley’s brother, who was subsequently prohibited by court order from having contact with her. Heather feared that Bradley might have placed Ava with relatives who would allow contact with Bradley’s brother. Complicating matters further, the courts were closed for a holiday, delaying Heather’s ability to seek emergency legal intervention.
As the search for Ava intensified, Child Find’s case manager worked alongside Heather to pursue potential leads. He conducted background and location research on Bradley’s family members and associates, including his current girlfriend, monitored social media for useful information, and maintained frequent contact with Heather.
In the meantime, Heather was able to connect with a family law attorney who helped her obtain an emergency custody order containing a provision directing law enforcement to return Ava to her care. The case manager shared relevant information with the attorney as it became available.
One week after Heather first contacted Child Find, the case took a critical turn. Bradley’s girlfriend contacted police with allegations of abuse. When officers arrived, Bradley fled, leaving Ava behind in his girlfriend’s care. Soon afterward, Heather was able to safely reunite with her daughter. Bradley was later arrested on child endangerment charges.
Following Bradley’s final criminal court hearing, where he received the maximum sentence for abduction and child abuse, the case manager encouraged Heather to remain attentive to Ava’s needs.
While Ava’s return to a safe environment brought the immediate crisis to an end, recovery can take much longer. As children begin to regain a sense of safety and stability, new concerns, emotions, or disclosures may surface over time. For that reason, Child Find will keep Heather and Ava’s case open indefinitely, ensuring that Heather can reach out for guidance, resources, and support whenever they may be needed.
Names and locations have been changed or omitted to protect the confidentiality of our callers.
