From house of filth to home of love, rescued kids hope to stay together with family
LAKE STEVENS, Wash. -- A young girl who was found abandoned with her siblings in a house of filth in Lake Stevens is now in a home filled with love. And the new family hopes to adopt her brother, too.
When three children, ages 7, 3 and 11 months, were removed from a Lake Stevens house filled with human waste and garbage on Jan. 30, they were separated from each other.
But one father is trying to keep at least two of the siblings together.
The 7-year-old girl, Cheyene, is now living with her biological father, Kevin Lewis, his wife, Maria, and their four kids.
The Lewis family said they didn’t know about their connection to little Cheyene until after she had been removed from the Lake Stevens home that police described as deplorable.
The Lewis family said they’re committed to giving Cheyene the best life possible, which they believe involves adopting her 3-year-old brother, who is still in foster care.
They say the only thing standing in the way is that their complex won’t allow another person in their three-bedroom apartment.
"She understands that our house isn’t big enough to have him too, but at the same time she gets really sad when she talks about that and wants to know when we’re going to get a bigger house, because that’s what she really wants," said Maria Lewis.
It’s a move that the Lewis’ say they can’t afford, but a neighbor has now started a fundraising site to raise money that will allow them to get a bigger home and try to adopt Cheyene's brother.
The family said they would have also sought to adopt the third child, but for reasons they couldn't share, due to privacy, the state has placed him with another family.
As for Cheyene's mother, Amanda Foley and her boyfriend, Mark Dorson, they remain in jail on charges of criminal mistreatment and abandonment.
A court date for trial has not yet been set.
To visit the Go Fund Me site for the Lewis family, click here gofundme.com/x76enz4
>>> Police video shows inside of filthy Lake Stevens house where 3 children were found alone