When I look back on the past few years, I can hardly believe the series of events that have shaped my life—and more importantly, my son's life. His name is Liam, and for the first 3.5 years, I had the chance to care for him on my own. I was his sole provider, his world. It wasn’t because his mother didn’t love him, but because of choices she made—and ultimately, because of the system that failed to act in his best interests.

Our story begins when his mother, Jennifer, and I were still together. She struggled with addiction for most of her life, having been prescribed a heroin substitute since she was 16 years old. It’s tragic when you think about it: she never had the chance to start her life clean, free from dependency. She was on that medication for years, and it became a daily ritual for her to pick it up from the pharmacy. Her own mother had to sign off on it just to make sure she got it when she was still a teenager. That was the foundation of her life when we met.

We were never supposed to be together long-term. Our relationship was more of a chapter of healing, a way for both of us to step out of dark paths. I needed to move away from my own addictions, and she, always shy and trying to please others, helped me realize what it meant to let go. In some ways, we needed each other at that moment. We fought through years of ups and downs, but the best thing to come out of our relationship was Liam—my son, my light. For him, I would fight until my last breath.

However, just last week, everything changed. Jennifer passed away. It’s still raw and painful to even think about, but what's worse is how I was informed. Today, I stood in the government child support agency in Wr. Neustadt, and they told me—not only about her death—but also that I wouldn’t be given custody of my own son. They dropped the news coldly, as if it didn’t even matter. The reason? A lie. A fabricated story told by Jennifer’s last boyfriend, Ronny Neuburger. Even more shockingly, Jennifer had repeated this lie while she was already in the hospital, under what conditions, I can’t say for sure.

I have strong reason to believe this all stems from Jennifer’s mother, Ursula. Ursula always had an eye on Liam, especially after seeing how smart and kind he grew up to be. Maybe she thought of him as her chance to "do it right" after failing with her own children. None of them have jobs or higher education; they’ve struggled, and perhaps Liam was her way to make amends for her own perceived failures. And now, she’s aligned with people at the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) to ensure that Liam stays under her control. Specifically, one person at the Jugendamt, Frau Hofer, has shown blatant favoritism towards Ursula, making decisions that seem more rooted in their friendship than in my son’s well-being.

Let me explain how deep this goes.

I wasn’t even informed in a timely manner about the death of Jennifer, the mother of my son. I had no part in the decision-making process at the Jugendamt, despite my legal role as Liam’s father. I was never offered a chance to give my side of the story, nor did they call me in for a personal conversation. This blatant disregard for my parental rights is nothing short of a violation.

Frau Hofer, who works for the Jugendamt, is not acting in the best interest of my son. Instead, decisions seem to be swayed by her personal relationship with Ursula Simon, Jennifer’s mother. I witnessed this myself on multiple occasions. After one of our court hearings, I saw them laughing together as they left the courtroom. Ursula Simon also works with an organization called "Morgenstern," which has frequent dealings with the Jugendamt, raising further suspicions about conflicts of interest. How can I trust that these decisions are made fairly when I see such cozy relationships?

Right now, Liam is staying with Ronny Neuburger, a man who has no legal or familial connection to my son. This is the same man who has physically attacked me in the past and now refuses to let Liam keep the gifts I’ve given him. How can someone who promotes such controlling and hostile behavior be deemed fit to care for a child? Worse still, Jennifer had told me that both she and Ronny used heroin, and Ronny also had a problem with excessive alcohol consumption. This is not the environment Liam should be growing up in.

Frau Hofer has also made questionable decisions about what is "too much" for Liam. At one point, she told the court that a holiday with me and my parents in the Italian Alps would be "overwhelming" for Liam. Because of this ridiculous claim, he missed the chance to experience the mountains, sledding, skiing, and playing with other children in the snow. How is keeping him from these enriching life experiences in his best interest?

But the most egregious offense came when the Jugendamt encouraged Jennifer to falsely accuse me of sexual abuse. These accusations are entirely baseless and were merely a tactic to drive a wedge between me and my son. It is shocking that an institution meant to protect children would resort to such manipulative measures just to further their own agenda.

In conclusion, the system is failing Liam. It’s not about what’s best for him; it’s about who knows whom and which relationships matter the most behind the scenes. The Jugendamt in Wr. Neustadt is making decisions that do not take my son’s well-being into account. Instead, they cater to personal connections, ignoring the truth and the harm they are causing to an innocent child. As his father, I am fighting for his future, but with every step I take, I face barriers that seem designed to keep me away. How many mistakes can a child take? How many more before the system realizes it’s supposed to act in his best interest, not in the interests of those pulling the strings behind the scenes?

My fight continues—for Liam, for justice, and for the truth.