Kimberly Dombroski

I have a friend who is an amazing grandmother to her three granddaughters, back in 2019 her daughter was struggling with alcohol & drug abuse, and separated from her husband and came to live with my friend. My friend took amazing care of her grandchildren, while trying to support her daughter‘s issues with alcohol and drugs. Her daughter ended up getting arrested, numerous times for being under the influence with the children and then being incarcerated for child engagement. My friend took amazing care of her grandchildren who were very young they were babies while her daughter was incarcerated . The children’s parents both were constantly in trouble with the law. They were both physically & verbally abusive to each other, and the children witnessed all of this abuse. It was a very toxic relationship, and the grandmother was the only savior that these grandchildren had. So while the parents were separated, my friend’s daughter and grandchildren lived with her, my friend helped her find an apartment right upstairs from herself, so that her grandchildren would live upstairs and she could keep an eye on her daughter to make sure that everyone was safe so literally my friend’s grandchildren lived upstairs from her …then in 2022 her daughter overdosed on heroin that was laced with fentanyl. She was still legally married, but still separated and living separately from the children’s father and he was already in another relationship and living with his new partner . DCYF and the court gave my friend custody of her grandchildren. ( not the father because he had a history of drug abuse and a long criminal history) she was the only one willing to take them or they would’ve ended up in foster care. She did an amazing job caring loving & nurturing them for nine months , they love their grandmother. She did everything with them. You would see pictures on Facebook of them at the beach, constantly in their swimming pool, her taking them to the park, camping , canobie lake , teaching them how to cook, she gave them so much love & attention that they never got from their mother , they had so much structure , routine, love and care with their grandmother and everyone could see that they loved her very much. I witnessed and spent time with them when my friend had custody.. to hear that my friend grand parent visitation case was dismissed all because she was still legally married when her daughter restricted her contact with her granddaughters is so wrong. The parents were separated, living separately and had a toxic unhealthy abusive relationship when they were together. So because they are not legally divorced on paper, my grandchildren have no rights to see their grandmother. After she sacrifice so much to take care of them and isThe only person who will ever protect them and keep them safe. This law needs to be changed so that if parents are separated, living in separate places, the grandparents can have visitations with their grandchildren. It’s time we stop protecting the parents so much and let’s start worrying about the children and their safety and what’s in their best interest. Please pass this bill.!! For the children’s sake! This grandmother sacrificed so much for her grandchildren and this is the thank you she gets …