Author: Cecily

13th Annual Golf Tournament

Sunday, September 27, 2026. Proceeds benefit the Children’s Advocacy Center to help children and families heal from abuse.

Lisa's STory

Showing Lisa she has Value in her New Family

We met Lisa a few months ago when she came to the Center. She thought she might be in trouble, because she had run away from home, when actually her older sister brought her to the Center because of what she learned after Lisa got to her house.

Lisa told her older sister, “I don’t care what you have to do, but I can’t go back there.” Lisa is 14 years old, but she wears a child size 7 clothing. If you have children, you know that their sizes are roughly numbered to match their age … a 2 year old would probably wear about size 2T; a 7 year old would probably wear about size 7. Lisa was clearly medically underweight and undernourished.

It did not take long for Lisa to realize that we were here to help her, and that she was not to blame for what had happened to her. Our Forensic Interviewer spoke with Lisa and learned that she was not allowed to eat at home; in fact, the refrigerator was locked and kept in the parent’s bedroom. After the interview, Lisa had a medical exam to make sure she was going to be okay. Lisa apologized to our nurse at the start of her exam, saying, “I’m sorry for how I smell, but it’s been a long time since I was allowed to shower.” It was truly heartbreaking.

We were able to give Lisa a healthy snack, and offer her a shower while she was at the Center. Her sister, who is in her early 20’s and just starting her own family, never imagined she would be raising her teenage sister. Through the generous support of our donors, we were able to give her a grocery store gift card. We also taught her about reintroducing food, and connected Lisa with other resources she will need, including ongoing counseling.

We checked in with Lisa’s new family recently, and learned that she is getting ready to start school soon. She had missed many school days in the past, because of the time and gas that would have been “wasted” getting her there. To help her be ready for the new school year, we were happy to give her school supplies, a new outfit and shoes, and personal hygiene items to support her new family, and to show Lisa that she has value. To a young girl like Lisa, who has been told through words and actions for a long time that she does not matter, these small personal items make a big difference.

Jennifer’s Story

Sisters’ Healing Journey to Become Survivors

Jennifer’s teacher never thought she would be making a child abuse report on one of her students when she received mandatory child abuse reporter training from the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC). However, the teacher knew exactly what to do when Jennifer disclosed that her father was molesting her, and she was afraid he might do the same to one of her three sisters.

The Department of Child Safety (DCS) brought Jennifer and her sisters to Children’s Advocacy Center. Our bi-lingual forensic interviewers, trained to talk to children without asking leading or suggestive questions, interviewed the girls and in a manner that elicits a free narrative from the child. Through careful interviewing, it was discovered that Jennifer was not the only daughter Mr. Romero was molesting. All the sisters but the youngest were victims, and Jennifer described “grooming” behavior that indicated the five year old was his next victim.

Jennifer was examined by our sexual assault nurse examiner, who is experienced working with pediatric patients and recognizing physical signs of abuse. Because the last incident of sexual assault had occurred with 24 hours of the interview, DNA evidence of sexual assault was found on Jennifer’s body. It was collected and turned over to law enforcement to be analyzed and stored for use at trial.

This initial phase of the investigation took several hours to complete. With the children safely tucked away at the CAC, our staff were able to provide snacks, lunch, and a safe, quiet, caring place for the sisters to tell their stories and discover the truth. Without the CAC, the girls would have been taken to a chaotic police station or child protective services office with little privacy and no individual attention to their needs. They would have been talked to by detectives or DCS workers with less experience and training than our dedicated forensic interviewers, and examined in a hospital emergency room by doctors and nurses not familiar with working with sexual abuse child victims and the criminal justice system.

The girl’s mother was out of town and unable to take custody of them, so the girls spent the night in a foster home. To make them feel more comfortable, the CAC provided each girl with an overnight bag with a brand new change of clothing, pajamas, personal hygiene items, a book and stuffed animal.

Using the interviews and evidence collected, law enforcement presented the case to the Pima County Attorney’s Office. Charges were filed and the case went to trial. Our interviewers, medical staff, and the girls testified at trial. Mr. Romero was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Our hope is that the girls will move along their healing journey and become survivors due in part to the compassionate, professional care they received from CAC and all our partners, law enforcement and the Department of Child Safety, working together.

Cassidy’s Story

Helping Doctor’s Recognize Abuse

When babies first start walking, they run into things, fall down, and have a lot of bruises. But when 14-month-old Cassidy was covered in bruises and suddenly unable to put weight on her legs at all, her doctor knew it was more than typical toddler clumsiness. The doctor called us for advice, and we helped him make a report of suspected child abuse. Cassidy’s mom shared her concerns about how the babysitter handled things, and cooperated with the investigators from law enforcement and child welfare who came to her house. She said she would stay home to take care of Cassidy and wait for their appointment at the Children’s Advocacy Center.

Susan has worked as a Pediatric Forensic Examiner at the Center for nearly 15 years. In that time, she has seen thousands of children, provided hundreds of consultations on medical files and reports, and helped investigators stop some of the most heinous abuses towards children. So when she came to my office in tears, I knew it was going to be tough to listen.

She was the one who had talked with the pediatrician, so she knew about the case even before she scheduled an exam for Cassidy. The investigator called back an hour after scheduling the exam to cancel, because Cassidy and her mom were nowhere to be found. A neighbor heard Cassidy’s mom say she had to go out of town for an appointment. Susan and I were terrified for Cassidy and we decided that Susan should take advantage of her relationships in law enforcement and child welfare to get additional help finding her. After several hours on the phone with her contacts – just before they issued an Amber Alert – the police found Cassidy and her mom hiding at a friend’s house and DCS immediately took custody. We were incredibly relieved, because it meant she was going to be safe.

When Cassidy finally came to the Center (three days after the initial report), she was playful and giggly. Her foster mom only has sons, so she had bought adorable dresses and hair bows, and was clearly delighted to try and “spoil” this beautiful child. The really great news is that Cassidy did not have any broken bones and is now walking just fine. She still had several unexplained bruises, so she will remain in DCS custody and her foster mom will get to enjoy having another girl around the house.

This case is just one of many examples of the undeniable value of our medical team. When other medical professionals are unsure what they are seeing, they rely on our expertise. We also support them with training in how to identify and report suspected child abuse and neglect. Our hats are off to Cassidy’s pediatrician, who did not hesitate to make a necessary report. He is part of the team that brought her to safety.

Kendra’s Story

Sadly, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Often Go Hand in Hand

Jenn’s husband was romantic and charming when they first met. He took her and her five children into his home and promised to care for them. Over time, Jenn stopped spending time with friends who took her away from him and the home. She eventually quit her job to focus on raising the children, including the new baby they had together. When her husband got a new job in Tucson, Jenn moved away from the rest of her friends and family, and began to lose contact with them. That’s when the abuse really began.

Jenn was willing to tolerate a lot of controlling behavior and even violence, because she believed her children were getting a good life. But then one night, her husband got drunk and sexually assaulted her teenage daughter, Kendra. Like most victims of abuse, it wasn’t her own safety that concerned her, but the safety of her children. So Jenn called for help. The police brought Jenn and Kendra to the Children’s Advocacy Center, where we were ready to give them the support they needed.

During that initial visit to the Children’s Advocacy Center, Kendra was able to tell our Forensic Interviewer about what had happened, and she got the medical care she needed from our professional team of experts. She was withdrawn at first, hiding behind her curly brown hair, but once she could see that we believed and supported her, the stress melted away and she began to smile and laugh.

At the Children’s Advocacy Center, we know that domestic abuse and child abuse go hand in hand. We also know that the abuser is often the person who pays the bills for the home, sometimes even using that financial power to control their family. We’re here to break those cycles of abuse and build independence and strength in victims so they can survive and even thrive. While Kendra was with the interview and exam team, our Advocate met with Jenn. She gave Jenn gift cards for groceries and security cameras, connected her with housing, and established long-term support from the food bank. She even found a generous donor to pay for car repairs and insurance so Jenn can get the kids safely to school and find a job.

Our Advocate will always be here for Jenn and Kendra whenever they need us, including in the middle of night. We help all our clients whenever they need us. Most often they reach out to revise their safety plan, rebuild their support system, or understand more about the criminal justice process. They often tell us the most important thing we did was to believe in them, so they could begin to realize their own strength.

It has been four months, and Jenn and her family are in a much better place. They have a safe home and Jenn is working again. Kendra has fully recovered with a clean bill of health and we have learned that her favorite color is pink, she loves to draw and bake, and she wants to go to Japan someday! The Children’s Advocacy Center truly is the place where abuse ends and healing begins.

Bonnie’s Story

Restoring Happiness

Bonnie is a 12-year-old girl with long, dark hair and glasses. When she was first brought to the Children’s Advocacy Center, she looked fragile and avoided eye contact. She had just come from the hospital, where she was under observation for having lost 10 pounds in one week.

During her Forensic Interview, we learned that Bonnie’s stepdad had started sexually assaulting her three years previously, when she was only 9 years old. She never told anyone until she hit her breaking point, and could no longer eat or sleep at all. She was miserable. She told us, “I just want it to stop.”

Unfortunately, this is very common, and we meet kids like Bonnie every day. Girls and boys who endure abuse for years … Hoping it will stop; believing it is somehow their fault; Waiting for it to end. We know how much they suffer, and we know that they need a lot of support to heal.

Our team rallied to help this beautiful little girl and her family. We gave her a complete physical exam and treated her injuries while we documented them for the police. We worked with her mom to create a safety plan to keep Bonnie and her little brother safe until their stepdad was arrested (and yes, he was arrested).

We also connected Bonnie and her family with long-term healing services, like counseling and our family support groups. Since the stepdad was the one paying most of the bills, we provided grocery store gift cards and gas money to tide them over while Bonnie’s mom started working with other, long-term supports like the food bank. We know it will be a lot to manage, but we will be there every step of the way. We also know they are on the right path. Even before she left the Center that first time, Bonnie was smiling and playing with us. While playing a card game, she blurted out, “I feel so happy! It’s been a long time.”

A few weeks later, we asked Bonnie’s mom how things are going at home. We learned that Bonnie is no longer afraid, and is eating and sleeping normally. It will take years for Bonnie and her family to fully recover from what she endured, but it is our honor to be the place where abuse like this ends and healing begins.

Thank you for helping us protect children like Bonnie. We couldn’t do this without you.