Written by Lise Strom, CASA Advocate

Gustavo is twelve now, and lives with his father, new stepmother and baby sister. His story is one of shocking child cruelty, devastating losses, resilience, and transformation. Family Connections made it possible for Gustavo to have a life beyond foster care and institutionalization, in a home where he is loved and where he knows he belongs. Now, Gustavo has a chance.

When I became his CASA in August 2010 and read the accounts of his removal from his mother and grandmother, I was horrified. He and four sisters had been the subject of at least 7 reports to Child Protective Services – beginning when he was an 8-month old infant. The last report resulted in the removal of all the children. At first, the case seemed hopeful. All the siblings, except an infant, were placed in the same foster home. The foster mother was a warm, nurturing, competent woman who created a safe and accepting environment in her lovely home. The children adored her, especially 7-year old Gustavo. I visited Gustavo once a week, with outings to our favorite park, the library, McDonalds, and occasionally the zoo or science center. He was learning to read, and enjoyed playing with Legos.

Gustavo always called his foster mother “mom”, and for almost three years, he had a loving home. He had fewer terrifying nightmares, and other symptoms resulting from torture were abating. Mandatory visits to his biological mother at the jail were very upsetting to Gustavo, and he was very jealous of another foster child in the home. His foster mother became overwhelmed by the children’s needs and challenging behaviors. One by one, she requested the removal of his sisters, and then Gustavo, too, was removed.

I remember visiting Gustavo the day he was placed in the Group Home. He cried inconsolably, in shock, unable to imagine his life without “mom”. His behavior in the Group Home reflected his feelings of abandonment, anger, and sadness. I hated visiting him there, because he was not safe – either physically or emotionally. He told me that he “didn’t want to be alive” if he couldn’t be with mom. He learned new mischief from the older boys. After an especially dangerous escapade, 10-year old Gustavo was placed at Orangewood Children’s Center.

Gustavo spent many months at Orangewood, where he was described as “rude”, “defiant”, and “disrespectful”. Our weekly visits continued, and Gustavo never stopped asking when he could go “home” to “mom”. His persistence paid off, and after careful planning with his foster mother, he returned to her care.

His stay there was brief. Despite his joy and relief, his challenging behaviors remained, and the stresses of so many children in the foster home led to his second removal, and another placement at Orangewood.

A year later, Gustavo was still at Orangewood. Family Connections became involved with case, and miraculously, Child Advocate Patricia Luna located Gustavo’s biological father a few weeks later. From the beginning, Patricia believed that Gustavo’s father was committed to caring for him and could provide a secure, loving home. At first, Gustavo was curious about his father, but an incident in court confused him, and he adamantly refused to see his father or participate in therapy. Gustavo continued to ask to return to “mom”, and would not consider any other option. Months went by, and Gustavo became more withdrawn, angry, and miserable. He would not talk about his feelings, but he showed me in other ways – through the songs he listened to and the movies he watched when I took him for outings each week. His loyalty and longing for his foster mother, his trauma history, painful losses and separations from his siblings, his fear of risking a new attachment – all these experiences and feelings made it impossible for him to accept Father. When Father tried to visit him, and Gustavo turned him away. He denied that he needed a family; he had learned to live without one. Fortunately, nearly two years after his second placement at Orangewood, the Juvenile Court judge ordered that Gustavo be placed with Father.

I visited the family soon after Gustavo moved in. I could hardly believe my eyes. Never had I seen a child so transformed. His “attitude” disappeared. His defensive, “tough” posturing was gone. His reluctance to talk about anything personal was replaced by an animated stream of ideas and thoughts. The boy who was predicted to be incapable of functioning in a regular school classroom was asking for help with his homework.

Gustavo has been with Father in his new home for five months now. He compliments his stepmother’s cooking and talks about wanting to please his father by doing well in school. Gustavo looks different, too. The stress and worry is gone from his face, he smiles and laughs easily. On our last outing, he asked if we could “go home” a little early. I think he wanted to make sure his family is really still there waiting for him.

Update February 2021: Gustavo is 18 years old and is a senior in high school. He still lives with his father and his former CASA is still in his life.