I Came Home From A Hospital Shift To Find My Fiancée And Baby Gone. The Police Called It A “Civil Matter” And Refused To Help. How Do I Find My Daughter?

Uncovering Keith’s Past

Jeffrey called me into his office the following week. “I think we need to dig deeper into Keith’s background. Becca’s lawyer keeps presenting him as this stable father figure, but something feels off.”

I agreed. Everything about Keith felt wrong. Jeffrey knew a private investigator named Reed who specialized in background checks. Reed was expensive, but Jeffrey convinced me it was worth it. “If Keith has anything in his past that raises red flags, we need to know about it. It could change everything.”

Reed worked fast. Within a week he had information that made my blood run cold. He came to Jeffrey’s office to present his findings.

“I pulled Keith’s social media history going back 6 years. He’s been in three serious relationships during that time. Each one followed the same pattern: he meets a single mother online, moves in within weeks, presents himself as a father figure to her kids.”

“Then what happens?”

Reed flipped through printed screenshots. “The relationships end badly. In two cases, the mothers filed restraining orders. In one case, there was a custody dispute where the biological father accused Keith of trying to push him out of his kid’s life. The case settled out of court, but the accusations are documented.”

I felt sick. This is who Becca brought into Lily’s life.

Jeffrey leaned forward. “This is good for us. It shows a pattern. Keith targets vulnerable women with children. He’s not interested in being a stable partner; he’s interested in playing house until things fall apart.”

“Can we use this in court?”

“Absolutely. Reed’s going to keep digging, but this alone raises serious concerns about Lily’s environment. No judge wants to place a child in a home with someone who has this kind of history.”

Documenting the Performance

For the first time in weeks, I felt something like hope. I picked up every extra shift the hospital would give me. My supervisor had insisted I take that week off, but after that I was back working doubles whenever possible. The legal fees were crushing me. Jeffrey’s bills, Reed’s investigation costs, the child support payments. I was surviving on four hours of sleep most nights, running on coffee and determination.

My co-workers noticed. I’d lost weight. My uniforms hung looser than they used to. Dark circles under my eyes made me look 10 years older. But they were supportive, covering for me when I had to leave for court appearances or meetings with Jeffrey.

One nurse named Sarah pulled me aside during a break. “I went through a custody battle 5 years ago. Lost almost everything fighting for my son. I won eventually, but it nearly destroyed me.”

She touched my arm gently. “Don’t give up. I know it feels impossible right now. I know you’re exhausted and broke and scared. But your daughter needs you to keep fighting.”

“Did it get better after you won?”

She smiled. “So much better. Every sacrifice was worth it. My son is 12 now and we’re closer than ever. He knows I fought for him. That matters.”

Her words kept me going through the next brutal weeks. When I wanted to collapse, I remembered that eventually this would end. Eventually I’d have Lily home. Eventually she’d know I never stopped fighting for her.

Becca posted new photos on social media. Keith teaching Lily to clap. Keith reading her a bedtime story. Keith making funny faces while Lily laughed. The captions made me want to throw my phone across the room. “Daddy Keith showing Lily how to play.” “Our little family building memories.”

I called Jeffrey immediately. “She’s doing this on purpose. She’s trying to make me lose it.”

He was calm. “I know. And you’re not going to react. Don’t comment, don’t message her, don’t engage at all.”

“But he’s calling himself her father.”

“That’s exactly what we want her to do. Her social media performance actually helps our case. It shows she’s more interested in appearances than Lily’s actual well-being. A good mother wouldn’t post this stuff knowing it hurts you. She’d protect her daughter’s relationship with both parents. Screenshot everything.”

I spent an hour going through Becca’s entire social media presence, saving every photo, every caption, every comment. Jeffrey was right. She wasn’t posting about Lily’s development or milestones. She was posting about Keith. Look at us, look at our perfect life, look at how Lily loves him. It was all performance. All designed to hurt me and push me out.

I saved everything to a folder on my computer. Documentation for court. Proof that Becca cared more about her new relationship than her daughter’s need for both parents. My hands shook while I worked, rage and heartbreak mixing together. But I didn’t comment. Didn’t message. Didn’t give her the reaction she wanted. I just saved the evidence and kept fighting.