Summary

In the spring of 2002, Michelle began searching for a job. She was anxious to earn money and was willing to do any kind of work. She applied at all the fast food restaurants but at only 4’2”, it would be difficult for her to reach the cash register. Her height was working against her in her quest for employment. By that summer, she was still unemployed.

When Michelle came home one afternoon after job hunting, she was involved in an altercation with her mother’s drunken boyfriend, Carlos. As the incident continued, he wound up becoming violent and fractured Joey’s knee. Michelle was afraid to tell the hospital how Joey’s knee was broken fearing that he’d be taken from her. She told them he’d fallen down in the park. However, case workers from social services knew the real...