On Thursday, January 29, 2026, the Lynn Juvenile Court reversed a prior decision, meaning the 8-year-old American child will not be sent to Guatemala to live with her biological father whom she barely knows. The foster parents fought the earlier DCF plan and enlisted the right lawyer to help: Kirsten Zwicker, chair of Conn Kavanaugh’s Family Law practice.
The decision not to send the child to Guatemala was reported by MassLive “Mass. DCF almost sent 8-year-old US citizen to Guatemala with father facing felony drug charges”
https://www.masslive.com/news/2026/01/mass-dcf-to-send-8-year-old-us-citizen-to-guatemala-with-father-facing-felony-drug-charges.html
Heather Morrison, MassLive
January 30, 2026
25 Investigates: New Bedford foster parents fight to keep child in U.S. as court halts reunification. Click here to watch: https://www.
Mass. reverses decision to send 8-year-old American in DCF custody to Guatemala
https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/01/30/child-foster-parents-dcf-massachusetts-guatemala
Rachell Sanchez-Smith, WBUR
January 30, 2026
Judge vacates order giving custody of U.S. citizen, 8, to Guatemalan father with criminal charges
https://newbedfordlight.org/judge-vacates-order-giving-custody-of-u-s-citizen-8-to-guatemalan-father-with-criminal-charges/
Kevin G. Andrade, The New Bedford Light
January 30, 2026
