DALLAS — It's been almost two years since WFAA brought you Emily's story. She was convinced her Wednesday's Child feature would help get her adopted.
Emily is now 16 years old and has spent half her life in foster care.
Below is our original story from May 2021:
Some birthdays are more memorable than others.
Emily just turned 14.
Her Child Protective Services (CPS) caseworker, Holly Dill, baked her favorite strawberry cupcakes and invited us to come sing "Happy Birthday" to Emily.
She has celebrated more birthdays in foster care than she even remembers, yet she is grateful.
"I'm happy," she said. "'Cause I'm about to get adopted because of this interview!" she added excitingly.
Emily is 14, but Dill says Emily functions more at an 8-year-old level.
When Emily was 8 years old, she was placed in foster care due to neglect and abuse.
Emily says she likes her current foster home.
"I feel safe because I'm protected. I have a home. They feed me. I take baths and showers. I take my medicine and I go to bed," she said about her routine.
Dill is working hard to find the right family for Emily.
"I love Emily to pieces. She is so sweet and so loving. She has so much love to give."
Dill says because of her special needs, Emily needs a family who can provide lifelong care.
"It's what keeps me going on even the worst days is that knowing there is a good family out there for her. There's that perfect match and we just have to keep looking until we find it and knowing how great she will do once we find them."
Emily loves hugs and spending time with others doing anything, especially girly-girl things.
"I like art, I love anime. I love animation shows. I love art and jewelry," she said happily.
Emily's advocates are the closest people she has to parents.
Her court-appointed special advocate (CASA) encourages her to dream big.
"I want to be a professional ballerina," she told us.
Emily wants to dance her way into a parent's heart because that's her birthday wish. A family.
"My hope is that the family when I get adopted, they will love me and treat me with respect and like me how I am," she said faithfully.
For more information on Emily, please send all approved home studies to LaQueena Warren at LaQueena.Warren@dfps.texas.gov.
Please remember to include Emily's name within the subject line. If you're not licensed, please visit adoptchildren.org to find out more information on how to become licensed to foster and/or adopt or contact LaQueena Warren at 817-304-1272.
If you would like to read more Wednesday Child stories, click here.