What happens when the people in power decide your child doesn’t matter?

What do you do? Do you fight? Do you accept it? Try to move on?

These are the questions I’ve been asking myself, every day, for the past 607 days.

My daughter is autistic. That fact alone should have no bearing on whether she receives justice or protection. And yet, it has become the very reason we’re still fighting today. She is also a survivor of assault... a truth we never wanted to live, and one we can now never ignore.

I thought long and hard about whether I should go public with this or not but statistically, 9 out of 10 girls on the spectrum will be sexually assaulted. That’s not just a number, it’s our reality. And sadly, instead of being met with protection or even basic empathy, my daughter has been treated like an inconvenience by those entrusted to uphold the law.

We’ve seen silence, dismissal, and delays. Calls from the Children’s Advocacy Center went unanswered when intervention was offered. A letter from the County Attorney’s office minimized the trauma my daughter experienced, questioned her capacity to testify due to her disability, and failed to suggest a single accommodation.

No request for a follow-up interview. No trauma-informed approach. No call backs to the CAC center from the County Attorney.

Just silence... and then a decision to close the case.

Because she has... AUTISM?!

Meanwhile, my daughter has spent night after night in hospital beds, navigating multiple treatment programs, missing her entire 8th grade year, and battling symptoms of severe PTSD.

As her mother, I’ve walked through every moment with her, bearing witness to her pain while carrying my own trauma as well.

And still, no justice.

I tried to take the next step: to submit a formal grievance and get answers. When I contacted the Commissioners Court to obtain public contact information for our elected officials, I was told they “Wouldn’t be of any help.” I was discouraged from reaching out and offered only to send my email to a gatekeeper.

These are public servants, paid by public dollars. Why are their contact details (required to ensure accountability) not readily available? 

What is being protected, and why?

This isn’t just the failure of one individual - it is a failure of an entire system that has refused to recognize the value and rights of a disabled child. A system that shields itself from accountability rather than listen to families crying out and begging for help.

But today, I won't be silenced.

And moving forward, my daughter... she will not be ignored.

Every sleepless night. Every panic attack. Every therapy session and scar, emotional or otherwise, etched into a child now living with PTSD. That kind of pain does not go away. EVER.

This isn’t just personal...

It’s legal. 
It’s moral. 
And it’s long overdue.

To every official who looked the other way: I’m not seeking revenge. I’m seeking accountability, through every lawful and public channel available to me.

And I will keep going - not just for my daughter, but for every child who has ever been made to feel invisible.

Why This Petition Matters

Bee is a minor child with federally protected rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Crime Victims' Rights Act. Her case was closed without consideration of these protections, despite clear medical documentation of psychological harm, trauma, and evidence supporting her claim.

Dismissal of her case - based on her autism and emotional response to trauma - sets a dangerous precedent. Prosecutors must not use disability as a reason to avoid their legal and ethical obligations. Trauma-informed, disability-competent practices are not optional - they are required by law and human decency.

Bee’s Law stands to ensure no child with autism is ever denied justice because of who they are. This reform mandates mandatory neurodivergent-specific and trauma-informed training for every courtroom, county attorney, and law enforcement agency in Texas by 2027.

We Call for the Following:

1. Passage of Bee’s Law, requiring neurodivergent-responsive and trauma-informed training for all judicial, prosecutorial, and investigative professionals statewide.
2. Implementation Oversight - creation of an independent task force to monitor compliance, training completion, and measurable outcomes across counties.
3. ADA and Civil Rights Enforcement - ensure no case is dismissed or diminished on the basis of disability; establish clear accountability standards for violations.
4. Transparency and Reporting - require public data tracking on cases involving individuals with disabilities and outcomes within the justice system.

Justice for one child is a step toward protecting all children. We demand a legal system that respects disability rights, understands trauma, and puts the protection of victims above institutional convenience.

• Texas Governor Greg Abbott
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
• Texas State Bar
• Office of Civil Rights (U.S. DOJ)
• Stephens County Commissioners Court
• The Public