It was hard to say no when they offered it to her. 14-year-old Kristen, liked the idea of going numb. She didn’t know what else would cure the ache of depression in her body. So, when she first tried heroin, she enjoyed it.
“I didn’t really feel anything, so it was easier, I guess.”
Supplied by her friend’s parents, what was supposed to be recreational, quickly turned into an addiction– and Kristen had little motivation to stop.
For quite some time, she hid this battle from those closest to her. But when it threatened to consume her, she sought help from her mom.
Soon after, Kristen started a 21-day treatment program throughout which she felt a thick fog lifted from her brain. She wanted to stay sober. She wanted a different life than the one she had been leading. This clarity of mind propelled her through the rest of the program. However, upon her exit, she found herself surrounded by the same crowd struggling in addiction, and relapsed. That familiar feeling of going numb made her quickly forget how miserable the cycle of addiction left her.
When Kristen found out she was pregnant with her son, her hopelessness amplified. Having been injured in a bad accident several years prior, she was under the impression that she would be unable to carry her baby to term. By miracle, she did. But when her baby boy began experiencing withdrawal symptoms and other health complications, the guilt threatened to consume her.
Her son was immediately taken from her custody. After signing a voluntary placement agreement, her baby went home with her sister. In an effort to get him back, Kristen got sober and did everything she was told. However, her hopelessness returned when his date of return was pushed further and further away. She relapsed. Despite the misery she experienced in addiction, being without her son was the worst pain.
Six months later, Kristen got pregnant with her baby girl, Jayda. And this time, Kristen wanted things to be different. She wanted this baby in her life. So, she took the steps she needed to move forward.
Her sobriety journey began when she got into an inpatient treatment program in Seattle, WA. After receiving a lot of positive support there, she transferred to another treatment facility in Spokane, WA, where there was hope that she could get her son back and live with him there. It was at this facility that another mom living there told her about Maddie’s Place.
Kristen’s interest was immediately piqued. Because regaining custody of her son was going to take some time, she visited our clinic soon after she gave birth to Jayda and immediately fell in love.
“It just felt like the right move… the right place to put my baby in.”
And sure enough Kristen and Jayda moved in just a few days later.
Despite knowing that this was in fact, the right place to be, building trust was difficult. She couldn’t bear the thought of someone taking Jayda away like when they took her son.
“But the moment I walked in, everybody greeted me like they knew me… I wasn’t a stranger, I belonged here. And that was what I needed… somewhere to belong.”
Kristen found her purpose at Maddie’s Place. Not only did she have a safe space to bond with her baby, but the staff and therapists empowered her to make her own decisions. The family advocacy team helped set her up with treatment, offered her rides, got her clothes. The nursery team facilitated bonding and offered her a lot of support with Jayda while she got back on her feet. Feeding therapy helped Kristen and Jayda work through Jayda’s feeding struggles.
“As a new mom, new in sobriety, Maddie’s Place changed my life for the better…[it] saved my life…saved our life.”
Kristen and Jayda left our clinic as two different people. Jayda’s feeding drastically improved. Kristen, who had come in scared and defensive, left confident and equipped. You could see the hope in her soul. They moved into a recovery house, regularly attend church and are getting plugged in with a positive, uplifting community. Kristen even regained custody of her son!
Their story is a testament to how far a little love and compassion can go in someone’s life. And this is just one example. 95% of parents who come through our program stay sober, housed, and in custody of their child.
What a privilege it is to build hope in the lives of those impacted by Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. We are watching lives transform and couldn’t be more proud of Kristen, Jayda, and all of the other families in recovery.
This blog was posted on August 15, 2025.
Questions? Suggestions? Email me at emma.jones@maddiesplace.org.