A mother and daughter that were torn apart because of Becker County Human Services

A Community Plea for Help — And for Justice

The family of a severely autistic, nonverbal 6-year-old girl named Sapphira is raising alarms over an alleged emergency custody attempt by Becker County Human Services. In a situation where support could have made all the difference, the county appears poised to remove Sapphira from her loving home—not for abuse or neglect, but because her sensory-seeking behavior has led to multiple escape attempts.

The Child at the Center: Sapphira’s Story

Sapphira is not a danger to others. She is a nonverbal, autistic child who, like many others with her condition, has a tendency to "elope" or run when overstimulated or seeking sensory input. These episodes are well-known to her family and not uncommon in children with severe autism.

Her mother, Cheyann, is a single parent raising six children. In recent weeks, Sapphira managed to elope three times—one instance while groceries were being unloaded, another when she damaged her GPS tracker and made it to Highway 10, and a third on Cheyann’s birthday. In all instances, she was quickly found and unharmed. The family had been actively trying to manage the risk.

Despite the urgency of Sapphira’s needs, Cheyann has reportedly not been offered any additional support services from Becker County CPS. Instead, the agency is allegedly pursuing an ex parte motion to remove the child from her care.

Why Is CPS Choosing This Route?

Critics of Becker County Human Services argue this is yet another example of the agency prioritizing risk mitigation over child welfare. Sapphira’s removal seems to be based more on procedural optics than a genuine evaluation of safety or well-being. While the family acknowledges the challenges of caring for a high-needs child, they believe the appropriate solution is more support—not more separation.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Cheyann install a secure fence to prevent future elopement episodes. It’s a simple request: assist the family in securing their home rather than tear the family apart. Click here to support the fundraiser.

The Bigger Picture: Becker County’s Troubling Record

This is not the first time Becker County CPS has faced criticism. Previous allegations include:

Suppressing key witness testimony in court
Withholding evidence from judges
Presenting misleading narratives during custody hearings

Multiple families have come forward describing a pattern of behavior that allegedly undermines due process and places children at increased risk by ignoring red flags or making questionable placements.

The Financial Paradox: Why Not Support the Family?

One of the most troubling contradictions in this case—and many like it—is the financial paradox behind child removal. According to available data, government agencies receive between $41,821 and $198,933 per child per year once a child is placed in foster care. To put this in perspective, the average American household earns significantly less than that—with the median household income in the U.S. sitting at $74,580 in 2022. In Becker County specifically, that number is even lower. So why does it take two to nearly three times the average family’s income for the government to “raise” a child in the foster system? More disturbingly, why are those funds not being used proactively—to provide in-home support, build safety structures like fences, or fund respite care for overwhelmed parents—especially when doing so could preserve the family and reduce trauma to the child? This financial structure incentivizes separation over support and creates a system where removal is not only common—it’s profitable.

Additional Startling Statistics:

Children in foster care are seven times more likely to experience abuse compared to children in biological family settings.
50% of foster children become homeless within 18 months of aging out of the system.
88% of foster youth suffer from significant mental health issues like depression, PTSD, or anxiety.
60-70% of trafficking victims come from the foster system, according to community care reports.
The average American household earns less than the amount it takes CPS to institutionalize a single child.

What’s more alarming is that low-income families are disproportionately targeted by CPS. A study by the American Bar Association revealed that poverty is often misinterpreted as neglect, with families being investigated for things like lack of childcare, transportation, or housing—issues that could be solved with support, not separation.

A Call for Reform, Not Retaliation

Sapphira’s story isn’t isolated—it’s systemic. Whether in Becker County or across the nation, the foster system is being used not as a last resort, but as a first response. This results in trauma, developmental delays, and sometimes even death for children removed without cause.

If we care about child welfare, we must:

Fund families, not foster care
Support parents, not punish poverty
Prioritize truth over optics
Provide services before removals

How You Can Help

Share this story to raise awareness about Sapphira’s situation and broader CPS reform.
Support the GoFundMe to help the family build a fence that could keep Sapphira safe at home. Click here to support this family.
Contact local officials in Becker County and demand an investigation into CPS practices.
Consider giving a tax deductible donation to Father’s Advocacy Network to help expose more corruption & bias in a very broken system that often has little to no accountability.

Donate

Together, we can advocate for transparency, reform, and accountability—so no more children are taken from loving homes when what they truly need is support.

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