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In my last post, I wrote about waiting.

Waiting and hoping that when a child finds the courage to ask for help, someone will listen.

Since then, some things have happened. But the outcome has not been what I hoped.

A welfare check was conducted. The police officers who came did what they were supposed to do. They spoke with her privately outside the home and handled the situation professionally. I appreciate that they followed their procedures.

But the reality remains that she is still not receiving the medical care she needs.

Her oxygen level is low. She has a medical history that requires attention. Yet she still has not been taken to a doctor.

What has been most difficult to process is that the adults and institutions that are meant to protect children have not acted in the way many of us expect.

Her middle school received an email directly from her asking for help. Schools are mandatory reporters. They are required by law to act when a child raises concerns about safety or neglect.

Yet the response was essentially that she “seems fine.”

But she is not fine.

Three CPS reports have now been filed by mandatory reporters. And still, there has been no meaningful change in her situation.

This is the part that is so hard to sit with:
A fourteen-year-old child has asked for help.

She may not even fully understand the rights she has or the protections that are supposed to exist for her. At fourteen, a child shouldn’t have to navigate systems and policies just to get basic care.

Adults are supposed to step in when children cannot.

Right now, it feels like she is standing alone in a place where many adults should be standing beside her.

The proper steps are still being taken. Documentation is happening. Reports have been made. And I will continue to follow the paths that exist to make sure her voice is heard.

But there is a question that sits heavily in my mind tonight:

Will the system respond in time?

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A Child’s Rights Matter Too

Children are often told that adults make the decisions for them, but that does not mean they are without rights.

A fourteen-year-old has the right to safety.
She has the right to medical care when she is sick or struggling to breathe.
She has the right to speak up when something is wrong.
And when she does, the adults around her — parents, educators, medical professionals, and mandated reporters — have a responsibility to take those concerns seriously.

When a child finds the courage to say “I need help,” that voice should never be dismissed simply because she appears “fine” in a brief moment.

Children should not have to prove their suffering in order to be protected.

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Moving Forward

Despite the frustration and the fear that comes with waiting, one thing remains clear: her voice matters.

The steps to advocate for her are continuing. Documentation continues. Questions continue. The pursuit of the help she asked for will continue as well.

Because what she did was brave.

She spoke up when something was wrong.
She trusted that adults would listen.
And that courage deserves to be met with action.

My hope is that the people and systems designed to protect children will recognize that courage and respond before it is too late.

Until then, I will keep doing what I can to make sure her voice is not lost in the silence.