A Florida mother is seeking urgent legal and public support after the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) refused to release her 10-year-old son following the sudden death of his father on July 3 in Milford, CT.

The child, Liam O’Neill, was born in Florida and has remained in consistent contact with his mother, Idealya Flint, who is listed on his birth certificate and has no criminal history that would prevent reunification. Liam is diagnosed with Autism and Type 1 Diabetes, making continuity of care and emotional stability critical.

Although his father relocated to Connecticut with him in 2020 without formal consent, Flint remained actively involved in her son’s life. After his father's passing, she prepared to travel immediately to retrieve her son but was blocked by DCF.

Despite her legal parental rights, DCF is withholding custody and has imposed a prolonged reunification process with unreasonable demands. Flint has not been allowed to speak to her son since the incident and is now seeking legal support to resolve the matter and bring him home.

She is raising funds to support legal representation and travel expenses through the campaign below.