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.
Pictured, left to right, JoAnn, Yvonne, Lorena, Mackenzie, Michelle, Stephanie, and Dan At CASA, our vision is to serve every child in foster care with a dedicated advocate. While an incredible volunteer serves most children, our new team of Staff Advocates helps expand our capacity to serve children with extremely challenging cases. Staff Advocates help fill critical gaps by taking on cases that often require more intensive coordination and support. These may include larger sibling groups, children with multiple placements, cases connected to specialty courts, or youth placed outside of Bexar County, sometimes even in other cities or states. By supporting these more complex situations, Staff Advocates ensure that children still receive consistent advocacy and attention when additional time or specialized support is needed. Our team includes six Staff Advocates and one Team Lead, all trained employees who work directly with children and families involved in the child welfare system. Thanks to funding from Bexar County and the John R. & Greli N. Less Charitable Trust , the Staff Advocate program has served 126 children in the past year who might not otherwise have had CASA’s brand of consistent, caring advocacy. We are also delighted to announce funding from National CASA/GAL Association to partially support the program in the coming year. In addition to their casework, our Staff Advocates support the Recruitment Department by helping raise awareness about advocacy opportunities in the community. Because they work directly with children and the court system, they bring valuable, real-life insight into what advocacy truly looks like. Staff Advocates have joined the recruitment team at several community events, including Coffee Shop Info Sessions, Comic Con, Faith-based markets, and National Night Out. At these events, they answer questions, share their experiences, and help potential volunteers better understand what it means to advocate for a child in foster care. They bring a firsthand perspective full of authenticity and impact for those considering becoming CASA volunteers. Impact in the Community During our past fiscal year starting July 2025, our Staff Advocates have served 126 children, including 23 children who were placed outside of Bexar County. Since its inception in January 2025, the team’s work has contributed to several meaningful outcomes for children and youth, including: 6 successful reunifications with parents , impacting 16 children 2 adoptions , providing permanent homes for 4 children 2 permanency placements for long-term care , supporting 4 children 1 successful transition into adulthood , where a young person is now attending college, employed, and living independently in her own apartment 6 college-bound students supported These outcomes reflect the dedication and commitment our Staff Advocates bring to every case they serve. Thank you, Staff Advocate Team! If you are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA advocate or attending an upcoming information session, we invite you to connect with our Recruitment Team and discover how you can make a difference in a child’s life.
Harrison came into care in January 2021 due to abuse and neglect in the home. The department attempted to implement a few safety plans but to no avail. Ultimately, the parents were unable and unwilling to provide him with a safe and stable home environment, and Harrison was placed into foster care. In June 2025, Staff Advocate, Michelle, was assigned to the case, and he was living with his aunt in Laredo, TX. From day one, Michelle has been dedicated to getting to know Harrison, establishing rapport, and building trust. She would take the time to listen to him and get to know his likes and interests. When she first met him, he was timid and shy but as he gained confidence and became more comfortable, he started to open up to Michelle. He started advocating for himself, asking for a new charger for his laptop to do his schoolwork and started to disclose more important topics such as sensitive issues he was facing with his family. In October 2025, while Michelle was heading to Laredo to visit Harrison, he called her to let her know that he was no longer allowed back into his aunt’s home. There was a placement breakdown happening due to a verbal/physical altercation with his aunt and other family members, and his aunt gave notice to the department that day. Upon arrival at Laredo, Michelle immediately called Harrison’s case worker and attorney to let them know what had just transpired. Due to Harrison being 18 and not officially in extended care, Michelle was met with some pushbacks; however, she persevered and asked what his options were, if any, and how we could help him. Harrison’s team worked together and was able to get the extended care paperwork drafted and completed and Michelle was able to brainstorm with Harrison to find him a temporary home with a close friend until his caseworker could bring him back to San Antonio. Michelle took Harrison to his aunt’s so he could pack his belongings and stay with his friend temporarily. Michelle was so thankful that she could be there for him in his time of need. A few days later, Harrison was back in San Antonio. Harrison is currently thriving in his Supervised Independent Living (SIL) placement and is on track to graduate high school in May. He has plans to attend college for Cosmetology. He has had a tremendous change in his overall mood and is coming into his own as a confident young adult. When asked by Michelle how he feels being at his current placement, his response was “safe” and that’s all Michelle needed to hear to know she was making a positive impact.
