Finding out that she was expecting at the age of 16 while going through so many life crises at that time left Bethany speechless. From having an unstable home where Bethany’s mother was a drug addict and often came home numb to getting homeless when she had to take care of her only 6-week-old baby at that time, who was born premature. She had been through it all.
As she saw Evelio, her son, grow, it gave her peace and hope that things would turn out okay, but since the beginning, Evelio’s behavior was sometimes odd, and she felt like something was wrong.
However, Bethany ignored it, as it was normal for kids to learn certain behaviours at such a young age. At 10 months, she was left in disbelief. His son, just 10 months old, was banging his head and often flapping his hands. Not only this, but like other babies his age, nothing seemed to interest him.
When he turned two and a half years old, Bethany saw a doctor who suggested that the child should take MCHAT, which could diagnose him with any disorder that he might have. The results were shocking! Evelio has Autism, functioning at a 9-13-month level. With the passing time, his behaviour kept getting aggressive as he did not just harm himself now but also was biting and scratching stuff and people around. The baby was difficult to handle every time he had a meltdown, and the behaviours kept getting worse.
When Evelio turned 4, he was placed in a residential facility for the first time. While there for a little while, his behaviour and habits had significantly improved when he returned home. The sad part? It did not last long. Over the years, it was not just Autism anymore, as doctors diagnosed Evelio with multiple physical and psychological disabilities. Epilepsy, mood dysregulation, PANDAS, and low intellect affected his entire life functioning.
The boy did not have any control over his mood or actions, as his mother was hospitalized due to Evelio’s intense behavior. He bit off a part of her ear. Even at school, the teachers complained, and he often injured them. The younger sister was also afraid!
The disappointing part was how any further residential placement was refused despite the child showing such aggression and regression in his behavior. Bethany repeatedly pleaded and stated insurance; however, nothing worked. Handing two children who were not living in good conditions since birth kept getting tough as Bethany had to do it all along. Not just this, no one from society did anything except pass constant judgments.
No matter how hard things got, Behtany loved them both unconditionally, and she feared that if nothing were done, the law and state would take her children away, too.
Thus, to avoid such consequences, she knew it was time to do something to protect the children and herself, so she made videos and called officials, telling them everything about the incident and how no one was ready to help. She also contacted multiple lawmakers, and to her surprise, she successfully diverted the state’s attention to her story.
Soonercare was not ready to place Evelio in a residential area and was suddenly prepared to send him out of state for treatment. Thus, Evelio was sent to New Mexico for one year. The family was also relocated, and they moved to Arizona. They had better services and facilities there, and thankfully, Evelio’s behavior improved significantly, too.
In Arizona, Evelio was hospitalized once again and then sent to a group home. He receives one-on-one support and goes to a school where all his needs are better understood.
Also, every time the family meets, they show love and affection. The struggles continue, but seeing them improve is enough to be grateful.
Bethany shared how she was previously fearful of her son, but now she is doing okay and will not give up on the kids and their safety. She also pleads for the parents to stand up for their children and has offered to be there for them all!
