Once upon a time
Aniyah was born on October 1, 2021. Her mother is Tim Wilson’s niece. Having suffered from addiction issues in the past, Tim’s niece reached out to the Wilson family for help. They supported her throughout her pregnancy, encouraged her to stay healthy, and once Aniyah was born they were there to offer relief when she needed a break. Aniyah spent most weekends and even some evenings in the loving care of the Wilson family during the first months of her life.
But on March 17, 2022 Child Protective Services removed Aniyah from her parents’ care. Aniyah’s parents requested that the Wilsons become intervenors and to have Aniyah placed in the Wilson home. This was the beginning of a long and arduous legal journey.
The courts revoked unsupervised visitation from Aniyah’s parents and gave the Wilsons every weekend to have with Aniyah as she had already bonded with them and knew them as her family. Aniyah was left in the care of her grandfather’s girlfriend. This woman is not related to Aniyah biologically, and she has never been married to Aniyah’s grandfather. But she has told the authorities conflicting statements that she is separated from Aniyah’s grandfather, and that they are divorced. There is no legal evidence of either statements. Aniyah’s paternal grandfather has been in other relationships, and it is widely believed that this woman claimed Aniyah in an attempt to manipulate his affections.
Shocked that the courts would leave Aniyah with a person who has no legal or biological attachment, the Wilsons sought to become her intervenors. They spent months attempting to assist Aniyah’s parents to make the changes needed in order to be reunited with her. They were unsuccessful in proving to the young couple that Aniyah is worth the commitment to stay sober. One of the hardest things Tim and Megann faced was having to uphold court rulings and refuse her parents’ visitation when Aniyah was in the Wilson’s care. The Wilsons knew they had to do what was in Aniyah’s best interest no matter how they felt about her parents. By September 2022, both Aniyah’s parents signed termination of their parental rights to the state of Texas. The Wilsons were devastated for Aniyah, and they made the decision to fight for her. They realized then that this would entail adoption.
Within two weeks of parental termination, the woman who had been Aniyah’s caregiver made a false accusation against Tim. Aniyah had just celebrated her first birthday. It was a cruel, horrific, and blatantly transparent attempt to rid herself of the Wilson’s dream for Aniyah’s adoption. The procedure for collecting evidence in cases like this is traumatic for adult women. The Wilsons were sickened when they learned Aniyah had endured it. CPS and the local police department ruled out any possibility of guilt, but The Wilson family still went to court to defend themselves. It cost them lawyer’s fees to be there, and the caregiver making false accusations lost nothing. The Wilsons are still fighting to adopt Aniyah.
November 25, 2022, Aniyah began calling Megann “Mama,” and she began calling Tim “Dada.” For the first time the family chose not to correct her. It was apparent to the Wilsons that Aniyah had chosen them. Not everyone gets to choose their parents, but not everyone is fought for like this little girl. Aniyah chose Megann and Tim to be her parents, and they have done nothing less than be her champions.
Aniyah continues to come home to Megann and Tim Wilson on the weekends. She is loved and happy and doted on by the Wilsons. She enjoys “exerting her leadership skills” over her brothers and the family pets. There is lots of play and laughter in the Wilson home. Aniyah loves to dance and sing, and she has learned some sign language as a way to help her communicate when she struggled with speech. Megann has spent lots of time with Aniyah using manipulatives and educational toys to give her a learning edge. Both of the older Wilson boys chose to forego their Christmas this year so that the Wilsons could pay their lawyer and keep fighting for Aniyah. The Wilsons are committed as a whole to bring Aniyah home to her family. We appreciate any help you can give.