DICKSON, Tenn. - A middle Tennessee foster family fighting to get back the little girl they raised for eight years announced they are stopping their lengthy legal fight.
Foster parents David and Kim Hodgin cared for 10-year-old Sonja McCaul for eight years. She was only one when she went to live with the family.
Sonya was in the process of being adopted by the couple when her biological father, whose rights had been wrongly terminated, overturned the adoption.
In January 2014 a juvenile judge ordered custody of Sonya be awarded to her biological father who lived in Nebraska.
The Hodgins went to court to fight for what they believed was Sonya’s best interest and have her brought back to Dickson county.
After numerous court battles a judge agreed to a DCS request earlier this year to remove Sonya from state custody. The move gave Sonya’s father John McCaul custody by default.
Now, the Hodgin family said they cannot continue to drag their lives and hers through a judicial system that continuously fails to put a child's best interest before all else.
In an emotional statement David and Kim Hodgin said:
It is with broken hearts we announce our decision to discontinue the legal battle we have fought to bring our daughter Sonya back home to her family and friends in Tennessee.
On January 29, 2014, as our 9-year-old daughter was ripped from our arms, we made her a promise that we would never give up on her. That promise, along with the support and prayers of so many friends and strangers alike, has given us strength and guidance for the past 18 months. We cannot however continue to drag our lives and hers through a judicial system that continuously fails to put a child's best interest before all else. We have lost faith that any court in Tennessee will make the proper legal and ethical decision to right the wrongs perpetrated on our daughter.
Above and beyond the personal grief we've endured daily, we live with the horrifying image of the pain and fear on our child's face when she was taken from us. Her cries reverberate in the deepest part of our hearts. We never want Sonya to think for one second that we gave up on her therefore it is especially upsetting to close this chapter in light of the promise we made.
This is by far the most difficult decision that we have ever had to make. As her parents, all we want is what's best for her and we desperately hope that she has the peace and happiness in her life that she so greatly deserves. Sonya has been through enough and has experienced more pain and confusion in her young life than many adults experience in a lifetime.
We urge everyone in Tennessee to hold state agencies, entrusted with the care of children, accountable for their actions by taking the time to contact their legislators and demand legislation that always puts a child's best interests before those of an adult. Children should not be made to carry on their shoulders the consequences of bad choices made by adults. The system greatly failed Sonya at every turn. For that reason alone, we will spend the rest of our lives advocating against such atrocities to ensure this never happens to another innocent child.
While we are closing this painful chapter in our lives, our door, like our hearts, will remain open forever. Our home will always be Sonya's home and we remain hopeful that her biological family will come to a place where they can support us having a relationship with her. There is no way to re-write history. All we can do is pray that the adults involved can find a way to set aside personal animosity and do what's best for Sonya.
To Sonya: Until we see you again please know how much we love you. We cherish the years of happy memories we spent together and pray your future is full of many blessings. We will think of you every day and hold you in our thoughts and prayers until we can put our arms around you again. You will always have a home in Tennessee. You will always be a part of our family - forever and ever and always. We love you so much. – Mom & Dad
