My Family Said They Didn’t Need My Help—so I Stopped Helping.

There were questions about the kids’ teachers and mom couldn’t name a single one.

There was medical information and mom didn’t even know Tara’s allergies or that Kian needed glasses.

Then mom’s voice got louder.

“This is all Jasmine’s fault she’s being vindictive because I made her sign that agreement.”

She shouted.

The social worker’s voice stayed calm.

“Mrs. Williams regardless of what Jasmine is or isn’t doing you are the parent here.”

Mom kept going on about how I was trying to make her look bad but the woman cut her off.

“Can you tell me your son’s grade level your daughter’s shoe size when their last dental appointments were?”

Silence.

The social worker came back out and made several phone calls right there in front of us.

“Yes we need immediate intervention the home is uninhabitable there’s clear neglect the children don’t have adequate food or clothing.”

Mom started crying and grabbed at my arm.

“Tell them you’ll help tell them this is just temporary.”

I looked at her calmly.

“You made me sign an agreement remember?”

Emergency Custody and the Broken Family

Within an hour two more CPS workers showed up with clipboards and cameras. They went through every room taking pictures and making notes.

They found the bathroom with black mold growing in the shower and toilet that hadn’t been cleaned in two weeks.

They documented the empty fridge the overflowing trash the mountain of dirty dishes.

One of them found Tara’s bloody underwear in her room from when she didn’t know what to do during her period this week and just left them on the floor.

They asked her about it and she started crying again saying she didn’t know how to handle it without me.

The case supervisor arrived in a black SUV and looked at all the documentation. She was this older woman with gray hair who looked like she’d seen everything.

After reviewing all the photos and notes she turned to mom with this serious expression.

“Mrs. Williams based on what we found here today we’re placing both minor children in emergency protective custody.”

Mom fell to her knees sobbing.

“Please no I just need more time to figure things out.”

The supervisor shook her head.

“Ma’am your children are living in unsafe conditions without adequate care or supervision.”

The supervisor’s words hung in the air for maybe 2 seconds before mom collapsed onto her knees.

She grabbed at the supervisor’s pants and started sobbing these ugly wet sounds that made everyone uncomfortable.

The supervisor stepped back and motioned to the other workers who immediately went upstairs.

I could hear them pulling suitcases from the hall closet and opening drawers in my siblings’ rooms.

Tara ran after them screaming that they couldn’t touch her stuff but one of the workers gently blocked her path and explained they were just packing some clothes.

Gian stood frozen in the living room doorway like his brain couldn’t process what was happening.

His face went from confused to angry to scared in about 10 seconds.

The workers came back down with two small bags that looked pathetic considering they held everything my siblings would have for who knows how long.

Tara was full-on crying now with snot running down her face and her whole body shaking.

She kept looking at me like I was supposed to fix this but I just sat there with my hands folded.

Cen finally snapped out of his freeze and started arguing with the supervisor about how this was all a misunderstanding.

She calmly explained that the decision was made and they needed to come with her now.

Mom suddenly lunged at me and grabbed my arm so hard her nails dug into my skin.

“Please Jasmine just tell them you’ll help.”

Her face was inches from mine and I could smell the coffee on her breath.

“Tell them you’ll take care of everything like you always do.”

I gently pulled her fingers off my arm one by one.

“You made me sign an agreement that I wouldn’t parent them anymore.”

She started shaking me and screaming that I was being cruel but the supervisor pulled her away.

The social worker turned to me while the others were dealing with mom.

“Jasmine since you’re over 18 you’re not required to come with us but do you have somewhere safe to stay?”

I nodded and told her I’d already arranged to stay with my friend Sarah and had been planning to move out anyway.

She looked relieved and handed me her card in case I needed anything.

The workers started walking Tara and Cen toward the door and that’s when everything exploded.

Terra spun around and screamed at me that this was all my fault.

“You did this on purpose!”

Her voice was so high it cracked.

“You wanted us to get taken away!”

Kian just stared at me with this look I’d never seen before.

It was like he finally understood that actions have consequences and he didn’t like it one bit.

They loaded them into a black SUV while mom ran after them begging for one more minute.

The supervisor had to physically block her from getting in the vehicle.

I watched from the window as the SUV pulled away with my siblings faces pressed against the back glass.

Mom stood in the driveway for another 20 minutes just staring at where the car had been.

I packed my own bag and called Sarah to come get me.

Her mom picked me up an hour later and didn’t ask any questions when she saw my puffy eyes.

That night I sat on Sarah’s bed while my phone buzzed non-stop.

Mom had called 17 times and left eight voicemails.

The first three were her screaming that I’d ruined everything.

The next two were her crying and begging me to come home and help her get them back.

The last three switched between blaming me and apologizing and then blaming me again.

I turned my phone off and tried to sleep but kept seeing Ten’s face when he finally understood what was happening.

Sarah’s mom made me breakfast the next morning and was just setting down pancakes when we heard pounding on the front door.