The Assembly and WBTV are doing a three-part investigation into Durham County’s child welfare system. Their second article, No-Win Scenario, features Emancipate NC’s Toia Potts‘s uphill and unjust battle to fight for her children to return home. Within the article, Emancipate NC’s Elizabeth Simpson shares her experience coming into the Abuse, Neglect, Dependency court system as Toia’s attorney. 

“Nobody wants children to be abused or neglected,” Simpson said. “But the way this system is being operated is harming families. It’s harming both children and parents. It is multiplying trauma.”

Photo credit: Kate Medley

Toia hasn’t seen her two boys in four years. “At the end of the day, I’m a mom. When everybody is coming at you, it’s like, maybe I should have known, but I just didn’t,” Potts said in a recent interview. “If I did, I would do anything in my power to make sure nothing happens to my child.” 

Potts said she wants to share her story to “leave a trail for my children. They’re going to look for me one day. And they’re going to see that [I] never stopped fighting.”

Read the full article here and learn about Toia’s fight for her children→