NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Middle Tennessee couple is caught in what they describe as an impossible situation with their adopted son, who may be forced back into the foster care system despite their efforts to maintain care for him.
The 13-year-old boy, adopted from foster care, has been living in a treatment facility for more than a year after developing severe behavioral issues that led to violence in the home.
“When you choose a kid, especially one not a baby, you can look in their face and say, ‘I got you, I’m taking you, you’re mine,’” the mother of NC5's Aaron Cantrell. “I told him that and promised him all those things, that I would be there for him, and now I’m not able to. You feel like a failure.”
The mother, who requested anonymity to protect her family’s privacy, explained that her son’s mental health problems escalated to dangerous levels.
“The police department was involved. We had multiple psychiatric hospital stays. In-home intensive treatment in the house. Did things with security cameras and locks to protect safety, but in the end it became too big of a burden in the home,” she said.
According to the parents, their adopted son became abusive toward them and their younger son, creating an unsafe environment for the entire family.
The family’s private insurance covered his residential treatment until last year. TennCare took over coverage this year, but recently, the mother was informed that the facility plans to discharge her son, despite ongoing safety concerns.
“The therapist reported to me it would be unsafe for him to return to the home with their younger son,” she said.
The mother now faces an impossible choice: pick up her son tomorrow despite safety concerns or potentially face child abandonment charges. She has reached out to the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) for assistance.
“DCS could compel TennCare, provide their own clinicians to write those orders, because since the provider is unwilling to, and say he’s going to require services with or without custody, let’s give him what he needs now instead of a system that’s not going to protect him,” she said.
She loves her son but says it’s not safe to have him in the home, and no other group home will accept him.
Despite the challenges, the mother maintains her commitment to her son, even if they cannot live together.
“I said, what have I always told you? He said, ‘I know you have me, Mom,’ and I said, ‘You’re right. This isn’t the end of the journey. We’re still fighting, and I still have you. Whether you can be with me or not, I still have you,” she said.
The family is currently working with an attorney and several nonprofits to secure additional assistance for their son’s care.
This story was reported on-air by Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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