Bring Our Kids Home Now!

Our sister, Teresa, who lives in Ensenada, Mexico, was recently falsely accused of a number of issues of neglect to the Mexican child welfare services (DIF) by an anonymous caller. Now, four of my nieces and nephews, Lisseth (15), Isaac (10), Samara (8) and Abigail (5), were picked up and put in an orphanage while DIF investigates these accusations.

So far, Maria has passed all of their tests. For example, she was accused of being a drug addict and on drugs, however, the DIF could not find any evidence of this being true – they even gave her a drug test that came back clean. Despite having jumped through their hoops, the DIF is still not allowing Maria to see or get her children back. Apparently, as next of kin, we can get temporary guardianship and get the children out of the orphanage almost immediately.

We need help though and we just don’t know how we are going to pay for everything that we need to do right now. So, we’re praying for God to provide and to send us people who can help us and support us. We will need to pay a lawyer’s fees and work on improving the children’s living situation, so that the DIF cannot say that the children do not have a good place to go home to. We are also considering the option of adopting the children if that is what turns out to be the only option for keeping the children out of the foster system.

Immediate needs right now are:

Lawyers fees covered (around $2300)
✅ We have now paid $750 to get the process started
❌ We still need around $1500 for the whole process
Two twin bed bunk beds, with twin mattresses, sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases
✅ We have now brought and assembled 2 sets of bunkbeds (4 beds total)
✅ We now have 4 twin mattresses, pillows and pillow cases for all 4
❌ We still need 2 fitted sheets, and extra blankets that are girls and boys themes
Two small dressers
Two small desks with 4 chairs
✅ We may have figured this one out with a larger table that they an all share
❌ We still need 2 (preferably folding) chairs
Three girl back packs for school, One ten year old boy back pack for school
✅ We have 2 girls backpacks
❌ Still need 1 girl and 1 boy themed backpack

Updates

Update #2

March 26th, 2025

Thank you for all the gifts and prayers!

Today, Pina is meeting with the lawyer, Tania Serrano, to sign all the paperwork, which is to sue the DIF (Mexican Child Welfare Services) for the custody of the children. This strategy is to get the children back from the orphanage as soon as possible. Lawyers at the DIF estimated that we could have the children come stay in Pina's custody before Resurrection Day (4/20/2025). However, this option (only) gives Pina temporary custody of the children for the next 6 months and then the case will be reevaluated.

Tania Serrano said that with this strategy, it would be easier for us (Daniel and Lucila) to start the process of adopting the children, once the children live in Pina's home. Lucila is now working on getting all of her Mexican paperwork in order so that when the time comes it will be ready.

At this point, it is unclear whether Maria, the mother of the children will be able to have custody of the children. A number of issues of negligence have come to light, including criminal activity on the on the fathers' parts (Lisseth, Isaac and Samara are from a different father than Abigail), which essentially forfeits their rights to ever have custody of any of the children. What we know so far is that Maria will not be allowed to live in the same house as the children while they are in Pina's custody over the next 6 months. That much is clear right now. It is still unclear whether she is allowed to see them. I suspect the court will lay out what is going to be allowed and what is not allowed in a ruling in the coming weeks.

I've added some new photos of the children's room where we assembled the second bunk bed and added blankets and sheets and some stuffed animals. The DIF stopped by last Tuesday (3/18) to see the children's room when there was only 1 bunk bed in it. In anticipation of another visit we spent this last weekend transporting and assembling the second bunkbed and bringing extra items etc. The DIF also asked us to send photos when the new bunkbed was in the room. So now, this has been fulfilled.

Update #1

March 21st, 2025

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has donated so far! We are overwhelmed with thankfulness to God who sent us so many people who are able and willing to help!

We have also made some progress in the last few weeks since we started our fundraiser. We have found and met with a lawyer, Tania Serrano, who says that the quickest route for us right now (the process for us adopting the children could take up to 3 years!) is to have someone in Ensenada who is able to take temporary custody of the children, which my other sister-in-law, Pina, has now taken responsibility for. The DIF is having her undergo a series of psychological evaluations.

Pina lives with her son, David, who has now jumped on board to help and has begun to empty and clean up a room for the children to live in. David painted the walls blue and pink. In some of the new photos I've just added, you can see the room, us all putting in a new vinyl floor, and one of the bunkbeds Lucila and I were able to get on Offerup and transport to Ensenada. Maria, the mother of the children, is the one in the red jacket. And my brother-in-law, Emanuel, is the one in the white tank top – he has been helping us a lot with moving things out of the room and putting in the new floor. Pina is the one wearing the mask.

In the next few weeks, we are planning on bringing another bunkbed to Ensenada. And we have an appointment on Monday to meet with the lawyer who will give us a status update and we will be paying her for all the things she has helped us with over the last 2 weeks.

Bring Our Kids Home Now!

Campaign created by Daniel Gurtner

Campaign funds will be received by Daniel Gurtner

Bring Our Kids Home Now!

Immediate needs right now are:

Lawyers fees covered (around $2300)
✅ We have now paid $750 to get the process started
❌ We still need around $1500 for the whole process
Two twin bed bunk beds, with twin mattresses, sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases
✅ We have now brought and assembled 2 sets of bunkbeds (4 beds total)
✅ We now have 4 twin mattresses, pillows and pillow cases for all 4
❌ We still need 2 fitted sheets, and extra blankets that are girls and boys themes
Two small dressers
Two small desks with 4 chairs
✅ We may have figured this one out with a larger table that they an all share
❌ We still need 2 (preferably folding) chairs
Three girl back packs for school, One ten year old boy back pack for school
✅ We have 2 girls backpacks
❌ Still need 1 girl and 1 boy themed backpack

Updates

Update #2

March 26th, 2025

Thank you for all the gifts and prayers!

Tania Serrano said that with this strategy, it would be easier for us (Daniel and Lucila) to start the process of adopting the children, once the children live in Josefin's home. Lucila is now working on getting all of her Mexican paperwork in order so that when the time comes it will be ready.

At this point, it is unclear whether Maria, the mother of the children will be able to have custody of the children. A number of issues of negligence have come to light, including criminal activity on the on the fathers' parts (Lisseth, Isaac and Samara are from a different father than Abigail), which essentially forfeits their rights to ever have custody of any of the children. What we know so far is that Maria will not be allowed to live in the same house as the children while they are in Josefin's custody over the next 6 months. That much is clear right now. It is still unclear whether she is allowed to see them. I suspect the court will lay out what is going to be allowed and what is not allowed in a ruling in the coming weeks.