LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A teen in the juvenile court and child welfare systems in Las Vegas has a new home. A volunteer for the day court program and his partner have officially adopted the teen, marking a first in Clark County District Court’s juvenile justice system.
8 News Now was in Judge Soonhee “Sunny” Bailey’s courtroom as she declared the adoption official on May 13, and the room erupted into applause.
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“I thought it was gonna be stressful, but I was just mostly very excited,” the teen nicknamed “Gold” said.
The volunteer and his partner first became foster parents to “Gold,” helping the teen to learn to read, cope with emotions, and more.
In the day court program, which began in 2018, resources made available through state legislation are set aside for therapy for children who may be on the autism spectrum or who may have fetal alcohol syndrome. Multiple departments assist with each case, including the Clark County District Attorney’s office and juvenile probation…