Working intake at a Texas family law firm means you hear a lot of traumatic stories, but some cases stay with you long after the meeting ends. This one began on a quiet Tuesday afternoon via Zoom, and a woman’s trembling voice filled my headset. She introduced herself as the aunt of two little girls, ages 10 months and 2 years, and said she needed help. As she spoke, you could hear the exhaustion in her voice, the kind that comes from months of fighting to protect children who never should have needed protecting in the first place. She explained that CPS had removed both girls after the baby tested positive for chlamydia, and a few months later, the toddler did too. Both parents had also tested positive. The children had been living with them at the time. Their parents accused the daycare of transmitting the sexually transmitted disease to the children.

I listened carefully, taking notes, guiding her through the intake process with a calm steadiness I’ve learned to maintain. But inside, my chest tightened. Cases involving children always hit differently.

The client continued to explain that a few weeks after their initial removal, CPS made another disturbing discovery. Not only is chlamydia a problem but during a supervised visit, the father had been masturbating in front of the two‑year‑old. He was arrested and now has a pending sexual assault charge. The aunt’s voice cracked when she told me this part — not out of shock, but out of heartbreak.

She went on to describe the home the girls had come from: filthy floors, trash piled up, roaches crawling everywhere. A place no child should ever have to live. She told me how the father had even told CPS that if they took his children, he wouldn’t pay a dime of support because “they can be with him.” Within the last week, it was discovered that the mother and father were molesting the children, and that’s how the children got chlamydia.

I could hear the frustration in her voice, but also her determination. Because now, the girls were safe. They were living with her and her husband. They had clean clothes, warm beds, and people who loved them. And she wanted to make that permanent.

As the aunt spoke about the girls, especially how the baby had started smiling again, how the toddler had finally stopped waking up screaming — you could hear the shift in her tone. Fear gave way to hope. She wasn’t just calling for legal help. She was calling to secure a safe, loving future for the children.

I walked her through the process of custody, termination of parental rights, and adoption. I explained what the firm could do, what the next steps would look like, and how the attorneys would fight for the girls’ safety and stability. She asked thoughtful questions, took notes, and thanked me more times than you could count.

By the end of the call, she sounded lighter — not because the situation was any less serious, but because she finally had a plan to move forward.

When I hung up, I sat back for a moment. This call was emotionally heavy, but it also reminded me why I do what I do. Sometimes, I’m the first person someone talks to when their world is falling apart. And sometimes, you get to help them start putting it back together.

This was one of those days.

To learn more about sexually transmitted infections in children, click here https://www.childrens.com/specialties-services/conditions/sexually-transmitted-infection

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