Story of Hope: Simeon & Laura Sutton

December Advocate Impact Story
Written By: Simeon & Laura's Advocate Supervisor
Adrian (6) and Evanie (1) were removed from their home due to abuse and neglect. Adrian made an outcry of being slapped by his mother’s boyfriend, but his mother refused to believe it was her boyfriend who cause the mark on his cheek. After an investigation, the Department agreed to refer this case to Family Based Safety Services, who offered the mother services, but she refused to cooperate. As a result, the case was referred to the courts, and both Adrian and Evanie were removed and placed in foster care.   

Mr. and Mrs. Sutton signed up to Advocate for Adrian and Evanie February 2019. They immediately visited the children and reached out to anyone who was currently involved on their case. When they found out that Adrian had had a kindergarten graduation that no one attended, Simeon drove to the school with a big balloon and told him how sorry they were that they didn’t know about his graduation. He just looked at Simeon with a big smile and said, “but YOU CAME!” 
He just looked at Simeon with a big smile and said, “but YOU CAME!”
When the kids were moved to a shelter, their third placement in 7 months, Simeon and Laura were there to transport them. When Adrian started whimpering in fear, they held him and comforted him. Simeon and Laura advocated for Adrian and Evanie to be in the same room while in the shelter, and stayed until they were calm and settled. While the children were at the shelter, Simeon and Laura visited them in person or by phone every day to ensure their needs were being met.  

Not long after the move to the shelter, Simeon and Laura saw a big decline in Adrian’s demeanor and behavior. When the shelter requested the children be moved, they quickly looked into options for the kids. They knew the kids couldn’t emotionally handle another move to a shelter, and advocated for them to live with grandma instead through an expedited home study. Simeon and Laura were able to help the grandmother prepare so the kids could stay with her as a more permanent placement with a goal of reunification. Now, the kids are thriving with grandma and happy to be with family. 

Without Simeon and Laura’s commitment to find family for Adrian and Evanie, the children would have struggled to find permanency and their mother’s rights might have been terminated completely. Thanks to Simeon and Laura, these kids are with family and have achieved permanency.  

Help us provide more Advocates like Simeon & Laura who are willing to go above and beyond to provide a voice for children in foster care.
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Story of Hope: Brennan Holland

By bfines • February 13, 2025
Brennan Holland was assigned to Sarah in December 2022. Sarah entered foster care with a history of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, yet she remains incredibly resilient. Throughout her time in care, she has experienced multiple placements. Brennan quickly learned that Sarah has a strong passion for neuroscience and dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. Determined to pursue her goal, she graduated early from high school and is now enrolled in the College Bound Docket program, attending her school of choice—UTSA. However, the path to achieving her dream has not been without challenges.\ Sarah received a discharge notice from her current placement and was denied Supervised Independent Living (SIL) until she turned 18. It felt as though no one was giving her a real chance. CASA stepped in to advocate for Sarah’s independence, pushing for her to live in a dorm on her own. Not everyone on her team supported this idea due to concerns about her age, limited independent living experience, and fears that she might run away, be influenced by older peers, or engage in risky behavior. CASA, however, continued to stand by Sarah, even offering financial assistance to help her move into a dorm until she became eligible for SIL.  At Sarah’s next court hearing on January 24, 2025, her attorney ad litem filed a motion for her to live in a dorm at UTSA. CASA once again advocated for the court to approve this plan. The judge, quoting Brennan’s court report, stated, “Brennan said it correctly: You are going to succeed or fail based on your decisions.” Ultimately, the judge authorized Sarah to live in the dorms on campus and ordered CPS to cover the cost of SIL. CASA recently assisted Sarah in moving into her very first dorm room, and we are excited to see what the future holds for her. Since being placed on campus, she has built a strong network of supportive adults to help her thrive. The impact of CASA facilitating these vital connections is crucial in ensuring that young adults like Sarah have the support they need to successfully transition into adulthood.

February Advocate Spotlight

By bfines • February 13, 2025
Emily White
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