A judge placed a foster child with her biological relatives in an emergency hearing, today.
The custody battle between a foster family that has raised the three year old girl for her entire life and the biological aunt and uncle that vied for adoption when she was an infant was supposed to conclude on Wednesday in a permanence hearing.
Due to scheduling issues, that hearing was suddenly postponed. The court and the Oregon Department of Human Services motioned to place the child with her aunt and uncle. Attorney for the the Burnson Foster Family, Peter Deuel, filed for an emergency hearing to take place, hoping to convince the court to keep the child with the Burnsons.
The judge ultimately denied, placing the child with her relatives until the rescheduled permanence hearing.
“I am overwhelmed with emotion,” Uncle to the child, Tige Nishimoto said. “This has been a three year long battle for our niece and to be able to finally bring her home makes our entire family so excited.”
The Nishimoto’s hope they can heal with the Burnsons.
“We want the Burnsons to be apart of our family and to heal the relationship.”
The permanence hearing will conclude the custody battle and is scheduled to take place in mid-October.
