Teen Foster Child Shoots Self to Death

“A local mother is pointing the finger at the state of Arizona. She says the system has failed her daughter, who tragically took her own life last month.

Pinal County mom Holly Mutchie had been fighting the court system, trying to regain custody of her 16-year-old daughter, Grace. Grace had essentially been kidnapped when she was 3 years old.

“She loved taking pictures of everything,” said Mutchie. “She had a very contagious laugh. Her laugh would get you laughing.”

Mutchie wasn’t there for a big chunk of Grace’s life. Her ex-husband took her and left the state when Grace was still a toddler.

“No fault of my own at all. Never gave up parental rights. His family pretty much kept my girl from me,” said Mutchie.

Fast-forward 12 years to this past December. The ex-husband was gone and Grace was living with his parents who then gave her up to be a ward of the state.

Grace was moved into a group home even though her mom desperately wanted her back.

“If that parent hasn’t done anything wrong, why does it have to take so long? That’s what I don’t understand,” said Mutchie.

For seven agonizing months, Holly went through the court process that involved background checks, drug tests and parenting classes.

On June 17, two police officers arrived at her doorstep.

“That’s when they laid it on me,” said Mutchie. “They told me she shot herself at the school.”

Grace had taken her own life on the campus where she was set to begin as a junior this summer, at Sun Valley High School in Mesa.

Mutchie says Grace was bullied at the group home and was picked on and beat up in school. She was anxious to get home with her mom.

“We’re working on this. We’re getting closer each day. And she says ‘I can’t wait to get out of there. I can’t wait to get there with you,'” said Mutchie. “Every single day, I miss her so much.”

Mutchie and her family will host a memorial service for Grace on Sunday, July 26 at 3 p.m. at the Family Life Christian Center in Superior. ”

Mesa teenager’s suicide tied to group home problem, custody battle

[KHPO 7/11/15  by Adam Longo]

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