Chapter 4 - TEMPORARY CUSTODY
The judge did not care that Dominic cheated on me.
Not that morning.
Good.
The questions were:
Where is Leo safe?
Who has cared for him?
What happened during my trip?
What restrictions are needed while investigators work?
Dominic’s lawyer focused on my slap first.
“Mrs. Sterling struck the child’s father.”
I admitted.
No fight.
Then:
“She froze family assets.”
Rachel corrected.
“Mrs. Sterling revoked Mr. Sterling’s authority over accounts and cards owned by Mrs. Sterling or her company. She did not freeze his personal assets or remove funds from joint marital accounts.”
Important.
Dominic had his salary.
His own savings.
Joint funds remained.
He was not rendered destitute.
Then hospital records.
Leo’s weight loss.
Poor hygiene.
Bruising.
Fear behavior.
No severe injury.
Then Maribel’s affidavit.
Fired after objecting to floor feeding.
Then Dr. Sloan.
No therapy authorization.
No “strict plan.”
The judge asked Dominic:
“Who created the plan you referenced?”
He said:
“My mother researched.”
Not a clinician.
Then Victoria’s house.
Why was Leo there instead of his own home?
Dominic said:
“Our townhouse was undergoing pest treatment.”
False?
Actually one scheduled extermination for ants, one afternoon.
Not twelve days.
Rachel produced contractor record.
One two-hour visit.
The judge’s expression changed.
Then Brooke.
Why was she staying at Victoria’s?
“She was visiting.”
With Liam.
How long?
“Off and on.”
Why?
“Family friend.”
No one asked paternity yet.
Not enough evidence.
Then my work.
I had traveled forty-three nights that year.
A lot.
Not abandonment.
But enough to examine.
I admitted.
“I built care around it. Clearly that system failed.”
Good.
Then:
“Will you continue?”
“Yes, eventually.”
Dominic’s lawyer smiled.
I continued.
“Not with the same care plan. I will reduce multi-night travel immediately while Leo stabilizes, use professional caregivers, and ensure providers can contact me directly.”
No martyr resignation.
I was still a mother with a career.
Judge granted temporary physical custody to me.
Dominic:
Supervised visitation twice weekly at neutral family center pending CPS assessment.
No Victoria present.
No Brooke.
No discussion of litigation, diagnosis, money, or Liam with Leo.
I received temporary exclusive occupancy of townhouse.
Dominic could retrieve belongings with scheduled third party.
No permanent decision.
Good.
The judge also said:
“Mrs. Sterling, striking Mr. Sterling is separate and concerning.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“You will comply with any criminal process and complete an anger assessment.”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Mr. Sterling, your son’s diagnosis is not a justification for degrading treatment.”
Dominic said nothing.
Outside court, he approached.
My lawyer stepped between.
He said:
“You have no idea what you just did.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
Then corrected:
“I finally do.”
That afternoon CPS inspected Victoria’s house.
The dining room table.
No food on floor.
No cage.
No locked rooms.
Leo’s clothes in guest bedroom.
Clean clothes.
Shoes.
Why had he been filthy that day?
Victoria said:
“He refused to change.”
Could be partly.
Then the cheap ball.
A home “behavior program” chart hidden in a kitchen drawer.
No child name visible on first photo, but later records.
Categories:
Table behavior.
Shoes.
Eye contact.
Speech.
Floor behavior.
Rewards.
Food.
A line:
Cake = earned.
Another:
Floor until calm.
Another:
No comfort toy after refusal.
No clinician name.
Victoria said she created it from online parenting articles.
Dominic approved.
Then CPS asked about Liam.
Victoria’s answer:
“Liam is family.”
Not:
family friend.
Family.
Dana? no, Jenna? CPS worker now perhaps Megan Hart. Let's keep Jenna Torres from hospital coordinates but CPS separate worker Emily Ross. To avoid confusion maybe Jenna social worker only. CPS is Emily Ross.
Emily asked:
“How?”
Victoria stopped.
Brooke stepped in.
“He calls her Grandma Victoria.”
That did not answer.
May you like
The question remained.
Then financial records started giving it shape.
