Stephen Bauer and Megan Finlan were already parents to four of their own children when they adopted their fifth child, Aidric, at just two years old. In most cases, adoption for a child means a fulfilling life in a forever family. But adoption for Aidric was far from that fairytale ending.
Rather than being loved, nurtured and raised into a strong young man as parents do, Aidric’s parents starved him for years.
Eighteen months ago, Aidric was put on Child Protective Services radar in Omaha, Nebraska.
At eight years old, he weighed only 35 pounds. CPS workers found him wearing size 3T clothing and severely malnourished.
In November of 2015, Aidric was rescued for good.
“[W]hen police picked him up from school one November day in 2015, he was thrilled, because he knew he’d never have to go back to the Bauer house again.”
A doctor that testified said the boy would go days without being fed by his parents. And according to police, Aidric had to have many of his teeth removed because of their deteriorating state.
Both Bauer and Finlan were slapped with felony charges of child abuse, and are currently at risk for losing custody of their four other children.
Aidric, however, finally has the forever family he deserves.
Shannon Foster—a teacher at Aidric’s school—and her husband, Jimmie, adopted Aidric after he was removed from the Bauers’ care.
Shannon remembers seeing Aidric in the hallway at Florence Elementary and thinking, “He was one of those kids where you say, ‘I’ll take him in a heartbeat.’”
After adopting him, Shannon and Jimmie gave Aidric a new name—Cameron Foster.
He chose his new name at his adoption to match the names of his now older brothers.