Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of difficult subject matter, including child abuse and the tragic death/murder of a young child. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If these topics may be triggering or upsetting, we encourage you to prioritize your well-being and consider this before listening to this episode.

Welcome back for the second part of our special 2-episode series of Fostering Change, featuring the story of the horrific murder of 5-year-old Harmony Montgomery.

On our last episode, we spoke with Judge Carol Erskine, author of the book A Cruel Injustice, which documents how our judicial system failed young Harmony, who was taken out of foster care and placed with her birth father - who rather than nurturing her, murdered her.

Today, we speak with Blair & Johnathan Bobbit-Miller, adoptive fathers of two sons before becoming the father of a 3rd son, Jamison, Harmony’s brother.

These amazing and sensitive humans discuss with Rob how the system continues to fail those who need it most—the children. They explain what they are doing, along with help from other Good Humans like Judge Erskine and Rob Scheer, to fix what many consider to be unfixable.

This powerful episode of Fostering Change will make you want to activate yours.

At the sentencing of Adam Montgomery (Harmony’s father), Jamison read a victim-impact-statement. Part of the statement:

"Tell everyone my name is Jamison. I'm 7 years old. My sister is Harmony. I love Harmony, I miss her," Bobbitt-Miller read. "I hope I get to see her again."

He spoke of a broken Elmo toy Harmony had given him that was hers that he has kept ever since. He said he has a Minnie Mouse pillow and new Elmo he planned to give to her.

"I keep it in my closet for her," Bobbitt-Miller read. "I am really sad she is an angel. I miss her. She was my best friend. I hope she can see me playing basketball and being silly with my brothers and I wish I could bring Harmony to my school to meet my friends and teacher."

To learn more about the Bobbit-Miller Family:

Twitter: @BlairMillerTV @BobbitMiller

Instagram: @johnathanb @blairmillertv

“A Cruel Injustice” can be found anywhere you purchase books, including Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Cruel-Injustic...

If you have any comments or questions regarding this episode or the foster care system, please send them to info@comfortcases.org.

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Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of difficult subject matter, including child abuse and the tragic death/murder of a young child. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If these topics may be triggering or upsetting, we encourage you to prioritize your well-being and take this all into consideration prior to listening to this episode.

On today’s special episode of Fostering Change we speak with Judge Carol Erskine. Judge Erskine is the author of the book, A Cruel Injustice. In thebook, and in today’s interview with Rob Scheer, Judge Erskine discusses the tragic death of 5-year-old Harmony, at the hands of her father.

Harmony’s murder was the result of our failed foster care system. Where the system should have provided legal advocacy on behalf of Harmony, protecting her, instead it let her, her brother and all of us, down.

Judge Erskine further discusses her career on the bench, and how she remains an advocate for youth in foster care.

Please note that this is PART ONE of a two-episode series. On our next episode of Fostering Change, Blair Miller and Johnathan Bobbit-Miller, the adoptive fathers of Harmony’s brother, speak to Rob about their experiences with the system - their frustrations, and all they are doing to raise Jamison and work with him as he remembers his sister and fights for justice in her name.

To purchase a copy of A Cruel Injustice, please visit a local bookstore, Amazon, or carolerskine.com.

More About Carol:

Carol Erskine has been a lifelong child advocate and a Massachusetts Juvenile Court judge for twenty-one years. Prior to being appointed to the bench, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly named her one of the state's top ten lawyers.

Judge Erskine has written and published a children’s book and several op-ed columns on children’s issues. She and her husband are the proud parents of a blended family with their now grown adopted and stepchildren.

Website

carolerskine.com

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolErskine/

Twitter/X

https://x.com/TheCarolErskine

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-erskine-1065a1207/

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Happy New Year! On our first episode of the New Year, we are so happy to bring you an amazing human, Hunter Beaton. Hunter is the founder of Day1bags.org. Day1’s mission is right in line with Comfort Cases’ mission: to provide hope and dignity to youth in foster care by giving them new luggage or backpacks in place of the disgusting black trash bags that are still given out in so many states.

Hunter started this initiative in 2016 at the age of 15 as part of his Eagle Scout project (yes, he’s a Real Eagle Scout!). He initially provided 100 duffel bags filled with essential supplies to a local nonprofit serving foster youth in San Antonio, Texas. The project quickly became a sustainable mission to support foster children across the United States.

Hunter's work has led to significant milestones, including distributing over 220,000 bags to foster youth across 47 states, legislative advocacy for proper luggage bills, and initiatives that celebrate foster youth's achievements. Through Day 1 Bags, Hunter has inspired meaningful change and continues to empower children in foster care by promoting dignity, belonging, and recognition.

To learn more about Hunter and Day1Bags - and how you can support them, please visit the following links:

Website:

https://day1bags.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/day1bags

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/day1bags/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/day-1-bags/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.