Night rescue: the story of a young mother and her daughter

That night, a knock on the door broke the silence of the Mother and Child Center. The police brought 19-year-old Bohdana and her little daughter Karolina, who is only 4 months old. The girl was sleeping soundly in her mother's arms, despite the stress she had experienced.

Bohdana is originally from Vinnytsia. She grew up in a Christian family, but fate deprived her of parental love early on: at the age of 12, she was orphaned and placed in a foster home. Despite her losses, she continued to study and entered medical school. But she didn't manage to complete it - she chose love. She moved to Odesa with her boyfriend, rented an apartment, and hoped for a new happy life... But everything turned out differently.

At first, there was the joy of expecting motherhood. But the happiness was quickly overshadowed: her boyfriend started abusing alcohol, and with it came screaming, beatings, and fear. Even pregnant, Bohdana did not feel safe.

She had already come to us once, when she was seven months pregnant, when she didn't know where to go. At that time, she still hoped that the child's father would change. She returned to him, believed him... But the miracle did not happen.

In February, Karolina was born - a healthy and beautiful girl. But things only got worse at home. On the eve of the tragedy, the roommate, while intoxicated, locked the child in a room, started a brawl and shouted that he would kill himself. Neighbors called the police and an ambulance. The man was hospitalized in a medical facility - he needs professional help from psychiatrists.
 The police brought Bohdana and her baby to our shelter: it was dangerous to return to the apartment with the door broken down and the neighbors scared.

Today, all Bohdana dreams of is peace. She is afraid that her roommate might reappear, but she knows that she is now in a safe place. Here she and her daughter are surrounded by care and support.

We believe that this is the beginning of a new life for Bogdana. She has made an important step - she has chosen safety for herself and her child. And we, the New Life team, will be there to help her through this journey.