Azriel

Explicit content warning

04/19/24 • 40 min

Theresa's younger son Azriel goes back to Butler County to live with his aunt. His condition deteriorates rapidly, and he begins expressing thoughts of suicide. Theresa tries desperately to arrange therapy for him, but the agency appears to be dragging its heels. When it finally does act, the result is anything but what Theresa hoped.

Previous Episode

The deal

Theresa is eager to fight the agency in court, but she doesn't sense the same enthusiasm from her court-appointed lawyer. The stakes are high: If she wins her next hearing, the case is over and her kids come home. But some vague wording in an Ohio law threatens her efforts before she even enters the courtroom.

Next Episode

Changing the system

Theresa's story isn't unique. Across the U.S., parents like her — the overwhelming majority poor, a disproportionate number nonwhite — are torn from their children long before other options are exhausted. The checks and balances that should protect them fail. On this episode, experts both local and national weigh in on how we can do better.