Get Braxton Home

Hi! I’m Braxtons mom Erika On March 11th, 2021 our world was turned upside down when our son was ripped away from us in Mouton, Alabama. My husband Todd went down to Alabama with his father to stay a few weeks and help build the back porch. After completion of the porch he was ready to come home back to Michigan. So, on March 10th at 10 pm I loaded the car with an overnight bag and my infant son Braxton Prock. I drove through the night so Braxton could sleep and we arrived in Hamilton Alabama around 8am. While my father-in-law visited with Braxton I rested my eyes and ate breakfast. Todd loaded his belongings into the trunk and at 10am we headed back up north. We made it about two hours and then Braxton started fussing so we pulled off into Moulton Alabama at a restaurant called jacks. We fed Braxton, changed his diaper and got ready to take off. Little did we know that someone had mistaken Todd talking to me from about 12 feet away from the car, bc he was smoking a cigarette, as an argument, and  had called the police for a “verbal domestic”. The cop pulled in and claimed he smelled marijuana on Todd. Todd was honest with the officer and told him that he’s from Michigan and does smoke for his chronic back pain and migraines. He told the officer that he had a sandwich bag with his personal use of marijuana locked in the trunk. That’s the moment when our lives were turned upside down. They arrested Todd for the possession of marijuana because it’s illegal in Alabama still and mind you, I do not smoke marijuana at all not even cigarettes. Our son was a micro premie born at only 24 weeks 2 days and because of prematurity he has chronic lung disease. I am extremely over protective of Braxton and his health. I have never allowed smoking around him or in my car or home. That’s why Todd was so far away from the car smoking and having to talk loud for me to hear him in the car. Back to Todd getting arrested...then the cop decided to arrest me for public intoxication based off of no proof. I had just drove 12 hours and was not intoxicated. I did end up getting that charge dropped but on that day he still arrested me for it and took Braxton away and they put him in foster care. They never asked for family to come get him or even try for him to go with my parents or someone he knows they put him into foster care away from any person he has ever known. Braxton has never been away from me a day in his life. On top of all this they charged us both with chemical endangerment of a child!!! There was no marijuana in the car and there has never been smoke around my son. Marijuana locked in the trunk is not endangering my son or a chemical. The Birmingham news Al.com is following our story and trying to stop the overkill of the endangerment charge. They interviewed me on June 18th and will be publishing the story soon. On April 22nd we went to court for Braxton and the judge ordered for him to be transferred back to Michigan and in so many words apologized for this happening. Todd and I have passed all of our random drug screens (it took him 30 days to get the thc out) we have completed substance abuse and parenting classes. We have been at every visit and doctor appointment that they have allowed us to go to. We still have our home in Michigan and paying all the bills there to make sure we don’t loose our home and at the same time paying to live in Alabama the past three months and providing for Braxton financially making sure he has everything he needs. We have completely drained our savings and my income tax money the last three months and we are unable to get a job bc of all the classes, visits and random drug screens. Todds job is waiting for him back in Michigan but that’s not helping us now. It has almost been two months since Braxton was ordered to be transferred and he is still here. After three months of paying for our rent and bills in Michigan and also living in Alabama I have completely drained all of our income and resources. I have no choice but to turn the public and community asking for help of any kind. It’s been over three months and we have exhausted all of our funds. I’m scared to loose our home in Michigan, Braxtons home. We are currently living in a tent in Alabama so we can see Braxton every week and fight to get him back to Michigan. Anything will help. Prayers, advice or any kind of resources. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.