A sweet 5-year-old girl named “Erin” visited Voices Carry for suspicion of abuse perpetrated by her single mother. Erin came to Voices Carry for her interview with extensive bruising and burn marks throughout her body. During the interview, we learned that the burn on her side came from a pan that her mother had been heating on the stove, and the small marks on her arms came from cigarettes. The burn on her side was so severe that she had to get skin grafts. The abuse she described was hard for the adults listening to stomach.
Although Erin had been through significant amounts of pain, she was in high spirits and very articulate during her visit. She was excited to play with the various toys before her interview and to talk with caring adults. The advocates working with Erin were amazed at how such a small child, who had experienced incredible suffering in her short life, had the spirit of a child but the wisdom of an adult. Erin’s aunt and uncle now have custody of her, and she is in a much safer environment. Because of the multidisciplinary services that Erin received, her new loving home, and her incredible resiliency, Erin seems to have a bright future ahead of her.
