As a mother, grandmother, and volunteer in her community, Rebecca is no stranger to stepping in and stepping up for others. But when her oldest daughter, Thea, passed away after a long history with substance use disorder and mental health diagnoses, she was not prepared for what followed.

“The more I found out, the worse it was. I didn’t realize I had raised someone to do the things that she did.”

Two years ago, Rebecca recalls dropping her youngest daughter off at work in the morning.

“Not long after, she calls me screaming and crying, and she said, ‘I think Thea’s dead.’ Thea’s husband at the time had posted on Facebook that he was going to miss her,” she says. “I had no way to get ahold of anyone to find out if this was true, so I called the police and gave them all the information. An officer called me back and confirmed, yes, that is what had happened.”

Rebecca was devasted but not surprised.

Like all parents, Rebecca and her husband wanted the most for their daughter, but by the time Thea passed in 2023, they were all but strangers. Over the years, Thea cycled through relationships, spent time in and out of prison, and made decisions her family couldn’t support. Throughout those years, Rebecca would always care for Thea’s two young daughters, taking care of them while their mother was incarcerated. Although she lost touch with Thea because of her addiction, she had a close, special bond with her two granddaughters, Amaya and Savanah. 

“I would check in with family,” she says. “Every time I would ask someone else in my family—everyone told me everything was fine. The children always told me it was fine. She knew how to play the system so well.”

Rebecca found out Thea passed on a Saturday and worked quickly to go pick up her granddaughters and take charge of the situation. She contacted Child Protective Services (CPS), who also told her she was doing everything right.

“When I got the children, they had their backpack, two shirts, a pair of pants, and what they were wearing. Neither girl had shoes even,” Rebecca describes. She had to start from the foundation to build a home for the girls. “I started with the schools because they needed to be in school, of course. They had already missed 22 days by the time I got them. The school told me about the Lawyer in the School program (LIS) where an attorney comes each week.”

The following Wednesday, Rebecca went to the Lawyer in the School (LIS) clinic at her granddaughter’s school to ask for advice in getting custody of Amaya and Savanah, along with questions about food security and appropriate housing.  The LIS attorney Amber agreed to assist Rebecca and filed for minor guardianship of Amaya and Savanah.

“I told her the story from the beginning—and it’s a long story from the beginning. Amber was amazing!”

When Rebecca went to the first guardianship hearing in family court, the result was unexpected.  

“Thea’s ex-husband showed up,” she says. Thea’s ex-husband had a long history of criminal activity, including repeated domestic violence against Thea, and Amaya and Savanah were terrified of him.  In fact, there had previously been a long-term restraining order against him to keep him away from the girls.

“The first words out of his mouth were, ‘Their grandmother can keep Amaya, but I want Savanah.’ I think he didn’t want to have to pay child support.”

The family was terrified of being pulled apart in a custody battle.

Rebecca and her husband didn’t just want custody of their granddaughters to brag about a victory to her family. They loved their granddaughters and wanted to create a safe environment for them to heal and grow.

Amidst everything else, Rebecca was diagnosed with cancer, and Amaya was suspended from school.

“We were really struggling with this legal stuff, and quite frankly, I was losing my mind over it,” Rebecca says. “Amber went with me anywhere for anything. I could message her when I remembered stuff.”

Amber also referred them to a LAWV attorney that specializes in special education needs. They worked with Amaya to work through the complicated situations high school presented for her.

Finally, after numerous hearings, Rebecca and her husband were granted full-time custody of both Amaya and Savannah.

“When I finally got custody, it changed things for the whole family. I almost fell out on the floor when Amber called me. It had been two years.”

Now, the girls are both attending school and counseling sessions regularly. The family has moved into a bigger apartment, and they are making plans for the future.

“I just know that without Legal Aid, we wouldn’t have these kids. My husband and I live on a fixed income. I would not have been able to afford an attorney, but like the judge said to me, they are in the best place they could possibly be. They are thriving for the first time in their lives.”