Life in the Time of Coronavirus
I Moved Into a Domestic Violence Shelter and Haven’t Seen My Son In Weeks
A series about how coronavirus affects our lives, our loved ones, our work, and our way of life
Life in the Time of Coronavirus is a GEN series where we are interviewing people across the country who have had their lives upended or are experiencing the stress of the unknown.
Nathalie K. is a 32-year-old mother living in a domestic violence shelter in Benton, Arkansas. Her four-month-old son is in foster care, pending an administrative hearing, but the coronavirus outbreak has meant that she hasn’t been able to see him in person.
This article was reported in partnership with Type Investigations.
My son was born in November. His huge dimples and blue eyes greeted the world just after 4:00 in the morning. I was in an abusive relationship at the time with a partner who sold and used drugs, but once I learned I was pregnant, I quit using cold turkey. I’d hoped I could get my partner to join me on my new path, but he didn’t quit, and things didn’t get better. When I went into labor, he didn’t even take me to the hospital; I managed to get there on my own. After the baby was born, he showed up at the hospital…
