Prosper Ortega not only had to recover from severe physical and emotional trauma, after surviving an especially brutal domestic violence episode, but also faced the devastating loss of her daughter, Ari. Experts have referred to her case as an example of “legal kidnapping,” after Prosper was coerced into signing away what she believed was temporary custody, by what she thought were family friends.

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In collaboration with Shadowtribe Productions, who produced a documentary about Fawn and Prosper’s ongoing battle, I spent a day with them, documenting what life looks like for a mother separated from her child and the resilience it takes to keep fighting for reunification.

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Update: Courts granted Prosper custody of Ari in 2023