From the heart - Tapica's story

tapica's story

The word came down from the caseworker that one of our children was on the run.  A teenage girl, "Tapica", (name changed for privacy), had left her group home.  The home has the well-deserved reputation where children in foster care can have a brighter future. But all that support wasn’t enough.

The Fight for Survival. Tapica’s instincts for survival had kicked in with a fury.  Tapica wanted to be with people she loved and living in a group home with 10 to 15 girls who had also experienced abuse or neglect felt as traumatizing as being in a disruptive home. Her Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Maya Vereen, and I were working on solutions to get her closer to family, but the COVID pandemic delayed progress and the idle time weighed on her. There were nights we couldn’t sleep with worry.  

Maya Vereen, Tapica's CASA volunteer

Maya was the first to discover Tapica had left with a stranger she met on the internet. Tapica called to say that she was okay but wouldn’t give the location. She said she was safe, but our instincts of working with young people told us better.  What else could we find out?  Every time she called, we held on to every word listening for some clues of her location before she would quickly hang up. Days passed by and the calls stopped.  Maya and I were in a panic like no other time.  We were helpless.  Tapica was a young and hurt soul, wanting to be loved just like everyone else. But we knew that like many runaway girls, Tapica could end up in a tragic situation beyond her control. ​

She's Out There. Another week passed and still no word.  I took the day off to celebrate my birthday and while I was sitting quietly watching television, my 6-year-old son pointed out the window at his mother saying “she’s out there, daddy.” But all I could think about was Tapica being out there. When I walked out to my balcony to get fresh air, my phone vibrated with a message stating Tapica wanted to return home. My face lit up like fireworks. ​​

Tapica texted us that she didn’t know her location but that it was likely another state.  She texted for another 20 minutes sharing that she did not want to get into trouble and end up in the juvenile detention center. We explained the process of her returning home and to safety. We gave her the hope and security that she needed. 
​
Safety at Last. Her next text was a picture of the car tag belonging to the man.  My hands were shaking as I knew this was the key to getting her back.   We sent the photo to her caseworker. Within 30 minutes, Tapica was safe and in the custody of the State Patrol.  We soon learned that our suspicions were right – Tapica, a 15-year-old, had spent the last month driving around with a 38-year-old man who had charges of child molestation.  

Once Tapica was safe, she shared her story.  The man tricked her into believing he knew her family. She wanted to go home and he exploited that. When I spoke to Tapica next, my words to her were simple and crisp.  “Anything could have happened to you.  You cannot put yourself in that kind of danger again.”  She took a deep breath, holding the phone quietly. 

The image Tapica sent that helped us to find her.

​She spoke softly with such sincerity, “I’m sorry for leaving and I know I messed up.  That’s why I called.  I called because I knew you all really cared about me, and not because it’s a job.” 

​Tapica is safe today because caring adults – her CASA volunteer, CASA staff, and DFCS case manager – fought for her. We worked together to get her out of the dangerous situation.
​Every child deserves to have someone fighting for them. ​

I’m sorry for leaving and I know I messed up.  That’s why I called.  I called because I knew you all really cared about me, and not because it’s a job."

About the author - tim wright

Tim Wright is an Advocacy Coordinator for Savannah/Chatham CASA. Tim joined the team last year and currently manages 30 volunteers. Prior to his role at CASA, he was a probation officer with the Department of Juvenile Justice is Macon. He has Bachelors in History with a minor in African American Studies and Philosophy from Valdosta State University. As a talented painter, playwright, and actor, Tim is easily the most creative on the team. When he isn't showing his creative side or helping with virtual schooling, he is chasing Spiderman aka Matthew, his six year old son.