After drop-off, my son’s teacher asked, “Why is your son absent today?”

Maya arrived right on time and her eyes were red like she’d been crying. She hugged Theo as soon as she saw him but Theo stood stiff in her arms, not really hugging back. Maya told him she loved him and that she had made bad choices.

She said she was sorry for what happened but when Naelli asked her to specifically explain what she did wrong Maya’s answer was all about financial pressure and how Derek had influenced her decisions. She talked about being desperate and scared of losing her apartment. She never quite said the words that she had put Theo in danger or exploited him for money.

Theo sat quietly on the couch the whole time and answered questions with one or two words. He didn’t smile and he didn’t relax. When the hour was up he practically ran to me in the waiting room.

In the car on the way home I asked him how he felt about the visit. He said he didn’t want to do it again right now; maybe later but not now. I told him that was completely okay and that he got to have a say in how often he saw his mom.

Naelli wrote up her observation report that night. She noted that Maya showed concern for Theo and expressed regret but hadn’t yet taken full accountability for her specific actions. She wrote that Theo was uncomfortable throughout the visit and clearly wasn’t ready for regular contact yet.

The report recommended continuing with supervised visits but not increasing the frequency until Theo showed more willingness and Maya demonstrated better understanding of the harm she caused. Two days after that visit Roxanna called me at work. She said plea negotiations were starting for all three defendants.

Uncle Mike’s attorney was willing to have him plead to child labor violations and pay big fines and money to make up for what he did in exchange for avoiding jail time. Derek’s attorney was pushing for a deal with probation, counseling, and paying money back but no felony on his record. Maya’s attorney was arguing for a suspended sentence with parenting classes and getting supervised visits back.

Roxanna asked what outcomes would feel like justice to me while being realistic about what courts usually order. I told her I wanted them to face real consequences, not just a slap on the wrist. But I also knew courts don’t always give harsh sentences to first-time offenders who plead guilty.

Roxanna said she would push for the strongest terms possible while being practical about what a judge would actually approve. Three days later the emergency custody hearing started in family court. Both sides had their attorneys and evidence ready.

I sat at a table with my attorney while Maya sat across the room with hers. The judge asked me to testify first about what happened. I walked up to the witness stand and put my hand on the Bible then I told the judge everything about discovering Theo at the construction site that morning.

I described the angry red marks on his shoulders and the energy drinks in his pocket. I explained how I immediately took him to urgent care and cooperated with police and CPS. I talked about the threatening text on Theo’s phone from Uncle Mike.

My attorney showed the judge copies of my stable employment records, my apartment lease showing suitable housing, and Theo’s perfect school attendance from before all this happened. She presented documentation of every CPS visit and my full cooperation with their investigation. I felt nervous the whole time but I kept my answers clear and direct.

After I finished, Naelli took the stand. She testified about her home visits to my apartment and her assessment that Theo was doing well in my care. She described seeing our normal routines, checking that Theo had his own bedroom and adequate food, and observing how I helped him with homework and bedtime.

Naelli told the judge about the emergency safety plan she created and how I followed every requirement without complaint. She noted the unannounced visits she made and how the home environment stayed consistently safe and stable. Her testimony was professional and detailed.

She had notes from every visit and specific examples of Theo’s well-being. Then Maya’s attorney stood up and started arguing her side. He said Maya was trying to teach Theo work ethic in a family business context.

He claimed her financial hardship led to poor judgment rather than mean intentions. The attorney talked about how Maya had completed intake for parenting classes and started counseling. He requested shared custody with a slow transition back to Maya having more time with Theo.

He emphasized that Maya loved her son and made mistakes under pressure. I had to sit there quietly while Maya’s attorney made it sound like I was overreacting and using this incident to gain custody advantage. He suggested I was keeping Theo away from his mother unfairly.

My hands gripped the edge of the table. My attorney leaned over and whispered that the judge would see through the spin. She told me to stay calm and let the evidence speak.

When it was time for CPS testimony again, Naelli returned to the stand. This part felt really important. She stated clearly that Theo had been subjected to dangerous working conditions at a construction site.