For the month of April, You Are The Power presents the Power to Reunite campaign in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
We are bringing awareness to a critical but often overlooked issue: families who are wrongfully separated due to medical misdiagnosis and systemic failure within the child welfare system.
The families we serve, known as fractured families, have been thoroughly vetted and determined to be factually innocent. These cases often begin with incorrect or incomplete medical conclusions, where parents are denied the opportunity to seek a second opinion.
These are families torn apart not by abuse, but by error. In these cases, the harm does not come from the parents, but from the misuse of a system meant to protect.
Even when medical experts determine that no abuse occurred, many families continue to face prolonged separation, financial devastation, and a lack of basic human respect.
Through storytelling, community support, and direct fundraising, this campaign uplifts reunified families, supports those still fighting, and advances the need for second opinion protections nationwide.
Protecting children must always be grounded in truth, accuracy, and human respect.
What is a Fractured Family?
A fractured family is one that has been torn apart not by abuse, but by error.
These are families who have been wrongfully accused, often due to medical misdiagnosis, and denied the opportunity for a second opinion.
Even after evidence shows they did not harm their child, many continue to face separation and resistance within the system.
This is not just a failure of process. It is a failure of human respect.
And every family deserves better.
About the Families we Support
Every family we serve is thoroughly vetted.
We only take cases where evidence demonstrates factual innocence, most often involving allegations rooted in medical misdiagnosis.
In many of these cases, independent experts later confirm that the child was not abused.
Yet despite this, families are often forced to continue navigating a system that does not readily correct its course.
At its core, this is not just a legal issue. It is an issue of human respect.
Protect. Preserve. Restore.
We believe in protecting children from real harm, with accuracy, care, and integrity. Child safety is not optional, and it must always be grounded in truth.
We believe in preserving families whenever possible. Families should not be separated based on incomplete information, misdiagnosis, or unverified claims.
And when families are wrongfully torn apart, we work to restore them, supporting reunification, rebuilding stability, and helping families move forward with dignity.
Because true child protection does not end with intervention, it requires getting it right, respecting families, and repairing harm when mistakes are made.
Power to Reunite Series
The Power to Reunite Shop
Our April pop-up shop has a wide selection of apparel and merchandise displaying our Power to Reunite art and slogan. All profits from the sale of the items in this shop will be donated to our client families to continue our support even after reunification. This shop will only be open until April 30th, so show your support by ordering today!
Donate Directly
Families navigating wrongful separation face overwhelming financial and emotional burdens, even after being proven innocent. The families we support have been thoroughly vetted and are often fighting allegations rooted in medical misdiagnosis.
Despite the truth being on their side, they face legal fees, lost income, travel costs, and prolonged system involvement, sometimes even after experts confirm no abuse occurred.
This is not just a financial burden. It is a matter of human respect.
This month, we are raising funds to support these families, with a goal of $500 per family to help relieve some of that pressure and support their path forward.
The Family Reunification Program
Dedicated to defending innocent families who have lost their children due to a medical misdiagnosis. To date, we have reunified 6 families and our efforts led to the successful passage of Ridge’s Law, which was signed in Georgia in May 2025. You can learn more about this program here.
Meet The Families Fighting for Reunification
The Anderson Family
Massachusetts
Kristy Anderson brought her medically fragile son, Oliver, to Boston Children’s Hospital seeking answers, but he suffered strokes and serious complications while in their care. Instead of addressing these outcomes, the hospital accused Kristy of abuse, prompting intervention by Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and separating her from her children. Oliver remains in state custody despite his health issues continuing outside of his mother’s care. These facts raise serious concerns about the validity of the allegations and reflect a devastating failure of both the medical and child welfare systems.
The Buchanan Family
Florida
Darryl and Kierra Buchanan brought their newborn son into the world at UF Health Shands, where a difficult delivery and concerning early symptoms were followed by a series of unexplained medical issues. Despite repeatedly seeking appropriate care and guidance, they were accused of abuse after a clavicle fracture was identified, leading to intervention by Florida Department of Children and Families and the removal of both of their children. Multiple medical experts have since found the child’s symptoms and injuries to be consistent with underlying medical conditions, not abuse, and even state witnesses have acknowledged that organic causes and possible medical mishandling cannot be ruled out. Today, the Buchanan family remains separated as they fight to reunite, highlighting a case where medical complexity, not parental wrongdoing, has been misinterpreted with devastating consequences.
The Denney/Stanford Family
Indiana
Clara Denny’s parents sought medical care after noticing unusual bleeding symptoms, but despite a full trauma workup showing no signs of injury, they were accused of abuse and separated from their child. Medical findings instead revealed a clear and treatable coagulation disorder consistent with vitamin K deficiency, supported by abnormal labs and rapid improvement after treatment. Multiple specialists found a medical explanation, yet these conclusions were disregarded. This case reflects a child with a documented medical condition—not abuse—whose family was unnecessarily torn apart due to a failure to properly weigh the medical evidence.
The Freeman Family
Georgia
Jaicobi Freeman and Kaliyah Chism brought their infant son to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta seeking care for a possible injury, only to be accused of abuse based on questionable medical conclusions that ignored clear signs of underlying health issues like severe vitamin D deficiency. Despite raising legitimate concerns and seeking answers, they were reported to Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, resulting in the removal of their children and criminal charges that barred them from even contacting their own kids. Medical testimony has since acknowledged their son’s compromised bone health, supporting what the parents have maintained all along; that this was not abuse. Today, their family remains separated, a devastating example of how flawed assumptions and rushed conclusions can destroy innocent families.
The Patterson Family
Florida
Michael and Tasha Patterson’s medically fragile children were taken by the Florida Department of Children and Families after a doctor wrongly diagnosed abuse. Multiple independent experts have since confirmed the children have genetic conditions, including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, that explain their injuries and rule out abuse. Despite this, state agencies continue to pursue adoption and refuse to acknowledge the misdiagnosis, keeping the family separated for nearly four years. The Patterson case stands as a devastating example of how medical error and system failures can override clear evidence and keep innocent families apart.
The Savely Family
Tennessee
Mason and Madalyn Savely brought their infant son to a Tennessee children’s hospital seeking care for a swollen leg, only to be accused of abuse after fractures were discovered despite no signs of trauma and clear indicators of underlying medical issues. Without pursuing alternative explanations, a child abuse pediatrician triggered CPS involvement, and their son was taken into state custody. Multiple independent specialists have since diagnosed Holston with infantile rickets and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome; conditions that fully explain his fractures and confirm he was not abused. Yet despite this medical consensus, the state continues to pursue termination of their parental rights, leaving this innocent family fighting to stay together.
The Tallon Family
Georgia
The Tallon family was accused of abuse after imaging at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, despite clear early signs of a medical condition affecting their daughter’s hips. Later evaluation by specialists revealed severe bilateral hip dysplasia that had been visible on prior scans but was missed, delaying treatment and leaving surgery as the only option. Rather than parental wrongdoing, this case reflects critical medical oversight and missed diagnosis. The Tallon family’s lives were upended not by abuse, but by failures in care that should have protected their child.
Reunification Success Stories
The Hernandez Family
Forsyth County, GA
Matt and Tuckey Hernandez were the first Georgia family to reach out to us for help when their daughters, Emma and Arya, were taken from them after a Child Abuse Pediatrician mistook injuries caused by a medical condition for abuse. Our campaign to return their children home would open the floodgates of similar cases nationwide, leading to the creation of our Family Reunification Program and partnership with DFCS to enact Ridge’s Law. A simliar law named for another family we are supporting, The Patterson’s law, is currently working towards passage in Florida.
After 3 years of fighting, the Hernandez family is reunited once more.
The Whiting-Clarke Family
Camden County, GA
In 2023, Damani and Shelby Clarke’s lives were turned upside down when a visit to a children’s hospital in Jacksonville, FL led to false allegations of abuse. Despite being cleared by law enforcement and supported by sound independent medical evidence, the state removed Anariah from her parents and fought to terminate their parental rights.
This victory is a testimony to the truth and a stark reminder that false accusations fracture factually innocent families.
After 764 days, Anariah is finally where she belongs; in the arms of her loving parents.
The Sullivan Family
Camden County, GA
Corey and Diana Sullivan endured the unimaginable for 19 months, but in May, 2025, their nightmare ended with the closure of their case.
Like many families we support, their nightmare began at a children’s hospital, being falsely accused of child abuse. Their child Amelia, had in utero complications and medical condtions that led to fractures and other health issues. A Child Abuse Pediatrician declared them the result of abuse rather than conduct further testing.
This set into motion a legal fight that lasted nearly 600 days, and almost resulted in them losing their children forever.
The Collins Family
Coweta County, GA
Thanks to the efforts of many individuals, Casey, Bailey and Ridge Collins are now reunited.
Our respectful and repeated correspondence with DCFS Commissioner Candice Broce led to policy changes protecting a family’s right to a second opinion and on February 28th, 2025, a bill now known as Ridge’s Law in honor of their son passed unanimously in committee and has been signed into law by Governor Kemp. This will enshrine the policy dictated by DFCS into law, ensuring parental rights and proper investigation.
The Timms Family
Gordon County, GA
A Not Guilty verdict vindicated Brady and Carrie. They did not abuse their son, Jameson; he has a rare genetic condition. The truth was on their side – the truth that law enforcement, child protective services, child abuse pediatricians, and prosecutors tried to corrupt and manipulate. After 1,180 days, Jameson is home once more with his brother and parents.
The leadership team in Georgia did their due diligence, extensively investigating the case, reviewing reports, records, and X-rays, conducting interviews, and conferring with attorneys and independent medical experts. Carrie now serves as a member of the Family Reunification Program, paying it forward by helping other families reunite.