Tyler was a child.
He should never have been placed in that position.
The agent instructed everyone to gather their essential belongings.
When Paige started crying, her children became frightened.
I muted my microphone for a moment.
I wasn’t changing my decision.
But watching children suffer because of adults’ decisions was painful.
My attorney, Daniel Cross, stood beside me in the secure room.
“You can protect your property without taking responsibility for their choices,” he reminded me.
I nodded.
Then I reopened the microphone.
“Paige, I’ve arranged a hotel suite for you and the children tonight. You can discuss longer-term housing arrangements with the appropriate services.”
My mother scoffed.
“So now you’re pretending to be generous?”
“No, Mom. I’m making sure the kids have somewhere safe to sleep.”
The agent then introduced another piece of evidence.
A locksmith had arrived at the building with instructions to replace the locks.
