Family offered to care for her child while she searched for an apartment. When she finally found one, they wouldn't tell her where her daughter was
Sya Love thought her family actually wanted to help, but was wrong
Family is supposed to be there when you need help. Sya Love (@_sayaa) thought that was what her mother and sister were doing when they offered to care for her daughter. But they had a hidden agenda. On September 7, 2026, Love shared that she had been homeless and finding new housing was difficult. Her daughter usually stayed with her grandmother and aunt (Love's mom and sister) during the summer and was grateful they wanted her to stay longer while she sorted out her living situation. When she finally found a house, she also found out that her mom and sister had been doing things behind her back and refused to tell her where her daughter was. The post received 11,900 likes and 1,000 comments.
New school
Love made it clear that she was employed and had a regular income. She was not irresponsible or doing dr*gs when her mom and sister offered to take care of her daughter. Love thought, "Family helping family. How beautiful. Look at us." They would often text her, letting her know they were there for her, but it was all a facade. When she finally found a house and went to pick up her daughter, they completely flipped.
They wouldn't tell her where she was. Apparently, they had enrolled her in school without consulting Love beforehand. She was told she was not allowed to pick up her own child. They made it look like she lost custody of her daughter when that was far from the truth. She had to call schools in their area to figure out where her daughter was and was finally told to contact the County Registration office.
Lecture from an officer
When Love got to the office, she found out her mom and sister enrolled her daughter under "Protections for Homeless Students," saying that she was "abandoned." She was stunned. "That’s when everything clicked for me. Because now we’re not talking about Grandma and Auntie just being concerned and wanting her in school. Somebody gave information about me and my situation that did not match reality in order to enroll my child without me," she explained. Thankfully, the lady who worked in registration helped her find her daughter and informed the school she was coming to pick her up. Love also filed a police report, but instead of helping her, the officer lectured her about the importance of education.
CPS found no wrongdoing
Love brought her daughter home from school, but around 4-5 p.m., she received a slew of threatening messages from unknown numbers. She had already blocked her mom and sister, who threatened to take away her kids and called Child Protective Services (CPS) on her. "CPS did not find some horrible situation... What they saw was a mother... working her a*s off trying to get her family stable again," she said. Sadly, Love had to distance herself and her children from her "family." She thought they were her "village," but they just took advantage of her.
No-contact epidemic
People are estranged from their families for several reasons. A HarrisX poll for Desert News found that 20% of people admitted that they do not speak to at least one family member. Karl Pillemer, the author of "Fault Lines: Fractured Families and How to Mend Them," conducted a survey and found that 27% of Americans 18 years and older had cut off contact with a family member. 10% were estranged from a parent or a child, 8% were not speaking with their sibling, and 9% were estranged from extended family. Love faced a similar situation. She had to cut ties because of her family's toxic behavior.
New crack of trauma
Readers criticized Love's mom and sister for not giving her a roof over her head when she desperately needed it. @gemafawell commented, "The fact that they offered the child a roof and not you said a whole lot that didn't need to be said in words. I'm so sorry that this is a new crack of trauma your family now has to navigate. And by your family, I mean you and your children. Scr*w them other folks." @magita666 added, "We are one paycheck late away from homelessness. You were trying the best you could to get stable housing. What they did was awful."
You can follow Sya Love (@_sayaa) on Threads for more lifestyle updates.
More on Scoop Upworthy
Share on Facebook
