Single Dad Takes In Seven-Year-Old Foster Child Amid Pandemic Because He Had Nowhere Else To Live

Aug 23, 2020

In a matter of just a few months, the COVID-19 virus has managed to change life as we know it, potentially for good. In an attempt to hinder the deadly outbreak, governments from around the globe have implemented their own "stay at home" or "shelter in place" orders, greatly changing the way we socialize. 

The rules might seem simple, but "sheltering in place" isn't exactly straightforward for vulnerable individuals in society, such as homeless people, or children without parents. 

Thankfully, Peter Mutabazi, a foster dad from North Carolina, decided to take a chance on a seven-year-old boy who had nowhere to go in the middle of a global pandemic.

Mutabazi is a veteran when it comes to the foster care system.

Having experienced a difficult childhood himself growing up in his native Uganda, the foster dad decided to dedicate his life to helping vulnerable children. This is how he met his 13-year-old son Anthony. He was abandoned by his previous adoptive parents at a hospital before Peter took him into his home and eventually adopted him in early 2020. 

The two decided to move to Charlotte, North Carolina, and told Good Morning America that they wanted to continue fostering and allow other children who were disadvantaged to live with them. However, moving to a new state, as well as taking in a new foster child provides a lot of complications.

The approval process took about a year and once he received the green light, North Carolina, as well as many other states, had issued orders to stay at home due to the pandemic. Peter knew the chances of placing a child at his home were close to none, especially since all foster care offices were closed.

Mutabazi and Anthony eventually received a pleasant surprise one day when their new social worker asked if they would be willing to take in a 7-year old boy. They provided Mutabazi with as much information on the boys’ background in the hopes he would be a good fit.

"When I got the phone call from the social worker I found it quite scary, firstly because we're in the quarantine, and also because I worried what might happen if he got sick," Mutabazi told the Evening Standard.

Despite his initial worries, Mutabazi ultimately decided to take the child in. He says thinking of the nurses working on the front-lines changed his mind. "I decided that I would help him no matter what," he said.

Although Mutabazi had fostered many times in the past, taking a new child amid the pandemic was a new challenge for him as he had no one around to help. 

"When I usually take in a kid, I have friends that can help by dropping off a meal, and not having that support during the lockdown is really difficult," he admitted.

Despite the new challenge, he said he's grateful he had is eldest son Anthony around, who has been caring for the boy and playing with him too.

On April 30, Mutabazi wrote a lengthy, heartfelt Instagram post about taking in the 7-year-old.

"I choose to risk it all for my family to provide a safe and loving home for a foster kid that had no place to go in the midst of coronavirus and quarantine," he wrote. 

Despite it all, the doting dad says that ultimately, it was all worth it. "It has been a joy to have this little boy with us despite my fears of the unknown," Mutabazi writes.

Are you a foster parent? If so, what do you think about Peter’s decision to foster a young boy right after the coronavirus and quarantine came along? Post your thoughts below. Tell your family and friends about this story and see what they have to say.