A NICU nurse has gone above and beyond her duty to care for a 14-year-old teen mom and her premature triplets. Katrina Mullen feared that the infants would be put into foster care due to the mother’s economic and familial situation. She decided to foster and then adopt Small and all three of her children.
Close Bond Forms between Nurse and Teen Mom
A NICU nurse, Katrina Mullen, formed a close bond with the mother, Shariya Small, during their five-month stay at the Community Hospital North in Indianapolis. Mullen, who knew what it was like to be a young mother because she had previously become pregnant herself at 16, was sympathetic to Small’s worries, saying “I am very familiar with how scary it is to be pregnant at a young age like that.” After Small left the hospital and went to stay with her aunt, Shariya Small continued to call Mullen for help with child-rearing stress. A NICU nurse saw the economic difficulties that Small was facing. Mullen was devastated when she received a call from Child Protective Services informing her that Small’s children would be separated and put into foster care.
Nurse Adopts Teen Mom’s Triplets
Mullen acted fast and without hesitation. She decided to foster and then adopt Small and all three of her children. Although her family and friends were shoked, Mullen knew that she could not let Small be separated from her children. The news of Mullen’s heroic act has spread, and the family has received an outpouring of support. A GoFundMe page set up by Mullen to raise money for a “financial cushion” has accumulated over $80,000.
Mullen’s Actions Receive Overwhelming Support
Mullen expressed her gratitude for the love and encouragement showered on her family. She wrote in an update, “We are overwhelmed and overjoyed at all the love, kind words, and encouragement being showered on our family.” Mullen’s selflessness and compassion have touched the hearts of many, and her story serves as a reminder that love knows no bounds.
