Hello friends, family, and kind strangers. For those that don't know me, my name is Dustin and I currently live in Hemet, California. I have a big problem I've been trying to handle on my own and I can really use, no, need your help. In January of 2018, my daughter Victoria was kidnapped by her mother after I found out she was cheating me with in ex-convict in the state of Texas. We had been together since 2006 when I happily took the role of a stay at home father and caregiver to her autistic, at the time 4 year old, son by quitting my job as a warehouse lead for a small corporate uniform apparel company. In 2011 our daughter was born. I continued my role as a stay at home dad as my ex-girlfriend worked her job as an emergency room nurse on a graveyard shift, on the condition that once our daughter started first grade, she(the ex) would change shifts and allow me to take a part time job and start pursuing my goals of becoming a business owner. It was during the summer of 2017 that I discovered her dishonesty and disloyalty, between our daughter's switch from kindergarten into first grade. Between July through December, I tried everything to try to keep our relationship together and get our familial goals of me becoming a business owner, her continuing career as a nurse, and buying a house together back on track. Nothing worked. It was decided to just seperate. However, she continued with her dishonesty. We had agreed that I would move into my disabled and elderly mother's house and help her as caregiver, while my ex was telling me she and the kids would move to her mother's home in Escondido, where her step-father was fighting cancer, just a little over an hour away from me. But in reality, she went to Texas. I found out where she was the day she arrived only because I was keeping an eye on our joint banking account and saw that the account was cleared out by a withdrawal in Pearland, Tx, the same city her lover lived. She would not answer my calls or text, but I was receiving angry text from the ex-con. I called 911, no help. I tried filing orders with the courts twice last year, all while trying to work with my ex to find a compromise in sharing custody of our daughter. Due to financial constraints, the court cases where dropped and she kept making promises she wouldn't keep. However, this year, I qualified for a full waiver in July, after another broken agreement by her became apparent. So the court case is moving forward to be heard by a judge. It was supposed to be back on September 18, but I had to file for a delay due to my ex refusing to cooperate by providing me an address of residence or work, making it hard to serve her the paperwork. But luckily, a friend of mine came through and gave me her address so the paperwork can be sent to her in time. I've done this all without using a lawyer other than with an initial consult. But now that she has been served and the court date rapidly approaching on November 26, I desperately need a lawyer to argue my case before the Judge. The problem is, I have no income as my mother's caregiver. I've been trying to find a steady job and have done odd jobs for friends to gain cash to help with household expenses, but nothing is panning out to help pay for legal representation. So I need help to pay for the retainer, approximately $1500. My quest to not only gain at least part-time employment, but also become a business owner has not diminished. And hopefully someday in the near future, my goals can be be achieved. So, allow me to fill you in on how my ex should not have custody of our daughter and how I am better fitted to having sole custody despite my current financial hardship. I'll try to be as objective as I can. First, the obvious, my ex left me for an ex-convict with a record of convictions that include the following; residential burglary, grand theft, possession of stolen merchandise, and lying to a police officer while on parole. My ex is currently also having my daughter in the presence of her half-sister and her two former steb-siblings, a brother and sister. Between the three, there are convictions of prostitution, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, assault, assault on a police officer, as well as multiple drunk/ under the influence driving, also with known addictions to methamphetamine, alcohol, and cocaine. Her half-sister has had three children taken by C.P.S. and adopted out to loving parents. My ex, herself has been struggling with her opiate and benzodiazepine addiction. During then span of January until May or June of 2018, my ex continued her employment here in California, leaving our daughter for two week periods in care of the above mentioned. Again in this year, my ex came here to California in May to gain employment for three months, abandoning my daughter to be cared for by highly questionable individuals rather than allowing me to care for them. I was even trying to help my ex find a house to rent during that time, hoping she would finally start to work me, to no avail. As for me and my qualities, I believe in family. I'm taking excellent care of my mother and refuse to just stick her in a nursing home. As a father, during our time together, I provided for all care of both kids. I got them ready for and took them to school, I changed nearly every diaper, I took care of every meal, all laundry, and washing of dishes. I did the grocery and clothes shopping, doctor appointments, school meetings, and picking up prescriptions. I strongly believe that a parent should be physically available for their children, and babysitters should be used for only a couple hours here and there sparingly to allow a parent(s) some quality or peaceful time. I'm dedicated to my daughter and have been since the day she was born. I've struggled with suicidal thoughts when my ex's betrayal became known, but it was my daughter, her brother, and my dog Yoda that got me past those very dark times. Now as for my ex's son, he has a father that has also been denied the opportunity to be a proper daddy by his and mine shared ex. In fact, he is still technically still married to her. But aside from that technicality, he and I are friends, so I know that my daughter and her almost 18 year old brother, will still have each other in their and our lives if and when the judge(s) strip custody away from the ex. So please help me if you can. If you can provide a donation towards my gaining a lawyer, I'd appreciate it greatly. I even will pay individuals back that don't donate anonymously when I can. If you can help me get employment, that would be most awesome. If you know someone that is a family law lawyer that may work pro-bono, I will give you my soul. Even just sharing my story will be of great help. To quote my favorite saga, "Help me Obi-Wan-Kenobi. You're my only help!" Sincerely, Dustin