My 16 year old son spent the majority of his life being abused emotionally, spiritually, and physically by his father. He was taken from me when my son was 9 because I was a single mother. I was told by the judicial system of Santa Rosa County that I didn't have the time to raise my son because I was in the Air Force and going to college to better my son's life. They thought my son's father and step mother could raise him better than me. After he was taken, my son began to tell me of the abuse he was given by his father and stepmother. At one point, my son had gotten off the school bus with cuts and visible bruises. He let the school principal and nurse know what happened to him. DCF and Santa Rosa County police failed to protect my son. The police officer never arrested his father for child abuse and DCF didn't even show up to the school. His father lied and said the cuts and bruises were from their dog. Years passed with DCF not caring to listen to me or my son. Then at the end of 2025, my son began running away from his father's house to find me. When the cops made him go back to his father's house, my son told them of the abuse he was receiving. They told him that because he didn't show signs of the abuse he had to go back to his father. When my son began to realize he would not be protected by the police or DCF my son attempted to kill himself twice. Each time he was bakeracted, and every time he was released back to his father. When he went back to Baptist behavioral unit, he called me to say goodbye and that he couldn't live any longer because they were going to send him back to his father. His father ended up sending him to 2 different shelters for kids with behavioral problems, and then he was sent to a high school for kids with behavioral problems also. With my tuition money I was able to hire a lawyer and get my son back home. We are about to finalize the emergency custody to permanent soon, but I need help for the fight we're about to have. I'm trying to raise funds to go after the Santa Rosa County police dept and the Department of Children and Families for the neglect my son received. I almost lost my son to suicide because they refused to help him. No one was arrested or charged with everything my son suffered through. It's been a daily challenge to keep my son feeling like he's safe. If the police and DCF didn't care to protect my son, how can my son and I believe that we are safe? As a military veteran, I will not give up till my son and I receive justice. I have had to get help from the VA for my PTSD because of the trauma from all of this. Please help us raise funds to get justice for what we have been through. Thank you and God bless you all!