April Story of Hope: Gabby & Lilly
Advocate Impact Story
Monique Thibodeaux was sworn in as a CASA advocate in June of 2019. She became the advocate to two young girls, Gabby (13) and Lilly (10), in September of 2019. Once she was assigned she quickly went to work and began making contact with family, CPS, attorneys, and of course, the girls. The two children were brought into care due to alleged physical abuse by their mom; Gabby was seen with bruises on her legs, shoulders, and wrists, and domestic violence between mom and her paramour. The children were placed with their maternal grandmother in August of 2019 at the time of removal. The case was accepted into Family Drug Court which is a specialty court that works with the parents that suffer from drug or alcohol addiction very extensively. During the Drug Court monitoring, Monique was in attendance to every court hearing and apart of every staffing that drug court held. Monique shared her observations and objective opinions on the children.
From the beginning of the case, the mother did not seem to be really be engaged or eager to work the services to get her children back. She was eventually expelled from drug court for not cooperating with the services being asked of her by the judge. At this time Gabby was having some behavioral issues at school for fighting and Lilly had an incident where she had in-school suspension and she was a victim of bullying.
Grandma would communicate with Monique asking for help or suggestions on what to do with the girl’s behavior in school. Monique came up with alternatives and asked CPS and her CASA supervisor for guidance as she did not want a placement breakdown. Monique kept in contact with Lilly and Gabby more often than the once a month requirement and formed a great relationship with the two girls. In order to provide the court with the most accurate information, Monique followed up and had great communication with therapist, attorneys, family members, teachers, caseworkers, and case managers.
During the last few months before trial it seemed that Gabby was having more and more behavioral problems that ended up causing her to have severe bouts of suicidal thoughts and self-harm, which in turn led to her being hospitalized numerous times. Monique visited and spoke to her on a weekly basis at every new RTC or hospital she was placed at. She constantly communicated with CPS, the Ad Litem, and her supervisor to keep them updated on Gabby’s status and also tried to come with a plan to get her rehabilitated. This was also around the time that Gabby had been communicating with her mother which is believed to have caused her to have those emotions.
The case initially went to trial in January 2021 but the mother’s attorney wanted more time for his client. The mother did not believe that she should lose the rights to her children even though she did not complete her Family Plan of Service. The judge decided he wanted the mother and the grandmother to attend a family counseling session together. The trial was reset for February 2021 and mom testified that it would be in her daughter’s best interest if she relinquished her rights and allowed her mother to adopt the girls. The mother testified that she knew they were in a better home and that her mother would take good care of them.
Gabby is still currently placed at an RTC and is doing so much better than any placement or psychiatric hospital she’d be in. She has a long way to go but Grandma and Monique are very hopeful that she will be home soon and join her little sister Lilly, who is thriving and doing so well in school. Thanks to Monique’s consistent and constant communication even to this day, the girls have someone to give them a voice when they didn’t believe they had one.
In December 2023, CPS received a Priority One referral regarding a 2-year-old child named Katherine, who had been hospitalized after ingesting narcotics. Her mother, Jessica, admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamines at the time. Katherine later tested positive for amphetamines, prompting the Department to seek removal of both Katherine and her 4-year-old sister, Valerie. Their maternal grandmother expressed willingness to care for them but only if CPS became involved. CASA advocate Alfredo Concha was appointed to the case and immediately took action. He contacted the grandparents and met with the children. During that visit, he learned that while the grandparents were willing to provide temporary care, they could not commit beyond December 2024. They had already adopted the girls' older sibling, which kept them busy, and as elderly caregivers, they felt unable to raise two young children long-term. They made it clear—either Jessica would have to get her life back on track by December, or the girls would need another placement. Understanding the urgency, Alfredo used Collaborative Family Engagement tools to seek additional family members who could offer support. He built a strong working relationship with Jessica, which proved invaluable. Through collaboration with Jessica, the grandparents, CPS, and the children's attorney, Alfredo identified and addressed barriers to reunification. A primary concern was Jessica’s history of substance abuse and the risk of relapse. After completing inpatient drug treatment, Jessica chose to move in with her ex-boyfriend, Robert, and his mother, Marie. Given Robert’s history of substance abuse and their previously volatile relationship, Alfredo recommended that Robert participate in services to strengthen their family dynamic. This included undergoing a substance abuse assessment, engaging in treatment, and completing a domestic violence prevention program. Alfredo also ensured Robert and Marie were included in planning meetings. During one of these meetings, Marie expressed her willingness to take in the children and committed to caring for them regardless of Jessica and Robert’s relationship. With this new support system in place, the girls were able to return to Jessica on December 3, 2024. CPS and Alfredo closely monitored the placement for several weeks to ensure stability. By January 2025, Alfredo recommended case closure, allowing the family to move forward with their lives. During the final hearing, Jessica addressed the court, expressing her gratitude. She stated that without the support of CPS and Alfredo, she would not have been able to succeed.
Larry Rushing
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