Couple Adopts A Severely Neglected Child, Despite Being Told Not To

Every year, thousands of children need to be adopted.

Children who have been neglected, abused, and abandoned often can end up in the adoption circuit, waiting for a foster family to take them in. However, if a child has a troubled, complicated past, it can be difficult to find parents who want to care for them.

Bernie and Diane showed their remarkable compassion, love, and empathy when they decided to adopt a very special girl.

The couple had a large family of five boys. When their children grew up, Bernie and Diane decided they wanted to also become adoptive parents and seek out a daughter who needed a special home.

It wasn’t until they began the adoption process that they would realize just how much of an impact they would have on a child’s life…

It all began when the couple attended an adoption event and Diane noticed a special photo...

Pinned to the bulletin board was a black and white picture of a young girl who had not been able to attend the event that day. “I just felt drawn to her, something about her face and her expression” Dianne said to CBN. When they asked the agency for more information about the girl, however, they were left confused.

“Mostly all they would tell us is, ‘You don’t want her.’”

Bernie explained, “Finally one of the ladies told my wife, there’s something wrong with her, she’s not up to par.” Despite being warned that this young girl may have a complicated past, Bernie and Diane pressed on, seeking more information about the girl in the photo.

They weren’t prepared for what they would discover…

Caseworkers shared that the girl in the photo had been involved in a serious 2007 investigation that was called the “worst case of neglect” ever seen by the investigator.

Her name was Danielle, and she was found inside a Florida home where she had been a victim of child abuse and neglect. Investigators were taken aback when they entered the home to find seven-year-old Danielle sitting in a corner, weighing only 46 lbs.

“I’ve been in law enforcement for 27 years now, and this is by far, bar-none, the worst case of child neglect I’ve ever come across in my career.”

Inside the filthy house were thousands of cockroaches, insects, and animal feces. Danielle had never left the house and was trapped in a locked bedroom with a soiled bed. She couldn’t talk or eat solid food and was diagnosed with “environmental autism” due to the situation she was forced to live in.

When Diane and Bernie heard Danielle’s tragic story, they knew it would be a difficult journey.

But they were determined to provide her with a loving, supportive home.

Bernie had a dream where he felt the Lord speaking to him and telling him to “take care of her.” The couple decided to adopt Danielle, and they felt reassured that they were making the right decision.

Danielle now lives with caring parents Diane and Bernie.

She has made incredible progress in her development and has slowly started to communicate through pictures and objects.
“I think the most beautiful thing about adoption is ... the child is getting a second chance at life,” said Diane.

Diane and Bernie have definitely provided Danielle with a second chance, and they are truly making a difference in her life.

Main and collage image via YouTube / The Official 700 Club