Redmond couple has one son back, still fighting for other

A Redmond couple received an early Christmas gift last Thursday as they were able to reunite with their 10-month-old son, but their legal battle to retain custody of their other, older son will continue in the new year.

Amy Fabbrini and Eric Ziegler said on Christmas Day they are overjoyed to have their son Hunter back, but their fight is far from over.

“Well, we have been battling for Christopher for over four years now,” Fabbrini said.

Fabbrini and Ziegler have been striving to get back their parental rights over their two young sons, 4-year old Christopher and 10-month-old Hunter, after a judge ruled their limited cognitive abilities made them unfit to be parents.

They said they are excited to have Hunter home for Christmas.

“It was kind of mixed emotions,” Fabbrini said after Thursday’s ruling by Deschutes County Circuit Judge Bethany Flint. “We were happy and joyful that we got him back for Christmas, but at the same time, we wanted his brother too, and so it was joyful and hurtful at the same time.”

The couple said that trying to get back their sons has been a difficult process, and it has been hard to hear the things that have been said in court about their parenting abilities.

The judge said more testimony is needed in regards to the future of the couple’s older son, who has been diagnosed with developmental issues.

But they said they believe they now have a support system in place of friends and family members so they can fight for their parental rights.

“Our confidence level was way down here, and now it’s way up here,” Fabbrini said, holding her hand higher.

Fabbrini and Ziegler said they are ready to continue to advocate for themselves, in hopes that they will be able to bring home their other son very soon.

“This has been a long, hard, stressful fight. But in the long run, it’s been worth it, because we got one back, and we’re going to keep fighting for the other one,” Fabbrini said. “We will not stop fighting until we get his brother home.”

The family is set to go back to court to continue to fight to get Christopher when the court hearing resumes on Jan. 9.

They said that if the ruling does not go their way, they and their lawyer are ready to appeal the decision to a higher court.