My name is Cheyanne Norris, and I am the mother of Navaha Norris, a young child who has been failed at every level by Grayson County CPS / Empower and the 15th Judicial District of Texas. Navaha did not enter foster care to be harmed. She entered a system that was supposed to protect her — and instead, she was sexually assaulted, neglected, ignored, and ultimately separated from her family through coercion and deception. This petition is not about attacking foster care as a concept. It is about holding Grayson County accountable for how they handled — and mishandled — my daughter’s life. --- Timeline of Systemic Failure In July 2023, Navaha and her brother were placed in a foster home in Collinsville, Texas. Almost immediately, red flags began appearing. By September 2023, Navaha was temporarily placed with her father. During that time, she displayed fear of men — a concerning behavioral change. Despite this, the foster family continued to maintain contact with Navaha while no such effort was made to maintain contact with her brother after he left the home. In February 2024, Navaha was returned to the same foster home. Her brother, however, was placed with family members — my grandparents. From that point forward, I began noticing signs that my daughter may have been sexually abused. Every concern I raised to Empower (CPS) was dismissed or brushed off. --- Documented Injuries & Neglect August 7, 2024: Navaha arrived for visitation with a 101.1 fever, reportedly sent from daycare. September 17, 2024: She had a scab and bruise on her back. CPS said she “fell while doing cartwheels.” November 19, 2024: Navaha arrived with a Band-Aid over her eyebrow. I was told another child threw a toy at daycare. January 7, 2025: The bruise in the same spot was still visible — months later. Despite these ongoing concerns, CPS took no meaningful action. --- Obstacles to Reunification By November 2024, I had secured my own apartment and provided CPS with my lease. That same month, I was informed by my third caseworker that CPS had lost or never processed my parenting certificates and mental health evaluation — documents I had already completed. On December 9, 2024, CPS inspected my home to prepare for Navaha’s return. On December 16, 2024, Navaha was scheduled to be returned home. However, once inside the courtroom, CPS told the judge they had no paperwork prepared, forcing the hearing to be reset. --- The Sexual Assault Outcry — and Coercion On February 18, 2025, Navaha missed visitation with only 15 minutes’ notice, allegedly due to a last-minute appointment. On February 21, 2025, my attorney informed me that CPS wanted me to relinquish my parental rights to Navaha only — not her brother. During that same meeting, I learned another child had been removed from the same foster home due to a sexual assault outcry just days earlier. On February 22, 2025, I was told the truth: Navaha herself had made the sexual assault outcry. I was never notified when she was removed from the foster home. CPS never explained what happened. I was kept in the dark about my own child. When I initially chose to go to trial, CPS responded by threatening to pursue termination of my rights to both children. Fearing I would lose everything — and under pressure — I relinquished my rights on February 24, 2025, believing I would later have the opportunity to regain custody once I proved stability. --- What Happened Next Navaha was not returned to her parents. Instead, Grayson County systematically ruled out extended family members — not because they were unfit, but because family home studies were delayed, mishandled, or never completed. Before the sexual assault outcry, CPS was actively trying to push Navaha toward adoption by the foster family. Only after the abuse allegation d id CPS place her with family — her Uncle. Navaha is safe with her Uncle. But let this be clear: Her Uncle is not seeking to adopt her He agreed to care for her temporarily The goal has always been reunification with her parents Despite this, CPS continues to pressure her Uncle to adopt and continues to obstruct any real path for her parents to regain custody. --- Why This Matters Navaha was: Left in a dangerous foster placement Ignored when signs of abuse were reported Used as leverage to coerce termination of parental rights Nearly adopted out of her biological family Removed from her parents without transparency or accountability This is not child protection. This is child trafficking through bureaucracy. --- What We Are Asking For We demand: 1. A full independent investigation into Grayson County CPS / Empower 2. Transparency regarding how family placements were handled 3. An end to coercive adoption pressure 4. A real, supported path toward family reunification 5. Accountability for everyone who failed Navaha My daughter was not saved by this system. She survived it — because family stepped in. Please stand with us. Please share Navaha’s story. Please help us demand justice. Sent from my iPhone