Help Bring Bubba Home

My name is Earnestine Watson and I live in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. I am in need of your help to adopt my Niece’s son, Bubba. He was born on April, 18^th 2016 in Oakland, California. Immediately after his birth he was taken from my niece because he had drugs in his system. A social worker in Alameda County contacted my sister and notified her that the State had guardianship over Bubba and they were looking for a family member to take him in. My sister notified me and I contacted the social worker to find out what needed to be done to bring Bubba to Minnesota. I was told I had to become a licensed foster parent. I worked with Washington County in Minnesota for several months to complete the process of becoming a foster parent. In the meantime, Bubba was placed with a foster family in California four days after his birth. My classes and training were completed in November 2016. My license and other paperwork was sent to Alameda County in January 2017. There was a court hearing in February 2017 in California, during the hearing it was stated that there was a chance Bubba would be moving to Minnesota to live with me. After the foster parent heard there was a possibility of Bubba moving to Minnesota, she filed the paperwork to adopt him. In March 2017 I flew to California to meet Bubba. I spent six days in a hotel and was able to see him each day which brought joy to my heart and reaffirmed that I was doing the right thing. I also went back to California in April to appear in Court for the termination of my niece’s parental rights. Prior to the court date, my niece sent a letter to the judge and attorneys stating she gave her parental rights to me and she did not want Bubba to be adopted by the foster family. The letter was not mentioned in court and the hearing was continued until June because my niece was not able to appear. I went back to California for the June hearing, during the hearing I was able to testify and express why I feel Bubba would be better off living with me in Minnesota instead of with the foster family in California. The judge made her decision during a hearing in July, she granted the foster family the rights to adopt Bubba. I am devastated by this ruling, but I am not going to give up. I am asking for your help with a donation for attorney fees and travel expenses to California so I can fight to overturn the judge’s decision and bring Bubba home where he belongs, which is with his family. I depleted all of my funds during prior trips to California. I appreciate any amount you are able to give. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Earnestine Watson