The first few nights were difficult—she woke up in a panic more than once—but Sawyer was always there to hold her.

Therapy began two weeks later, with Gracie drawing pictures of houses with massive doors and little girls hiding under the tables. Slowly, the doors in her drawings grew smaller, and windows began to appear.

One day, she drew a house with a huge tree and labeled it “My Safe Place.”

Sawyer kept that drawing in his wallet every single day.

Carolina attended therapy too, though she fought it every step of the way, trying to play the victim until the judge finally intervened. The judge was firm, telling her that past trauma did not justify the abuse of a child—and the words seemed to finally sink in.

Bonnie, however, was barred from any contact with Gracie until further notice.